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Roster Swap: Phoenix Suns and Sacramento Kings. Would you do it?

By Adam Maynes

SACRAMENTO, CA - MARCH 23: Deandre Ayton #22 of the Phoenix Suns goes up for the shot against the Sacramento Kings on March 23, 2019 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)
SACRAMENTO, CA - MARCH 23: Deandre Ayton #22 of the Phoenix Suns goes up for the shot against the Sacramento Kings on March 23, 2019 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Deandre Ayton Phoenix Suns (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)
Deandre Ayton Phoenix Suns (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images) /

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Deandre Ayton, Aron Baynes, vs Dewayne Dedmon, Richaun Holmes, and Harry Giles

When Ryan McDonough drafted Deandre Ayton, he was making a conscious decision to upgrade a single position in a way that was likely to be unmatched by most teams in the league.

Sure, had he taken Luka Doncic he would have had a really good point guard. But as important as point guards are to the NBA game, many teams have very good point guards, as well as defenders who in the right situation can shut them down.

Phoenix Suns
Phoenix Suns /

Phoenix Suns

Had he selected Marvin Bagley, sure the Suns would have had an above average power forward, but when was the last time a power forward was the best player on a team that won a championship? Obviously one could argue Tim Duncan, but that’s the point – he is one in a million, and to believe that Bagley could potentially be a Duncan-type player is entirely under-appreciating the Hall of Fame game that Duncan had.

But Ayton, on the other hand, if he develops to become the dominant center is he projected to become, he will man a position that most teams do not have above average players at, nor defenders to stop him.

While Ayton did not get much credit nationally for his statistics last season (he was the first rookie in franchise history to average a double-double and his secondary stats blew away those of Doncic and Trae Young), if Ayton takes the step forward this season that we all expect he can now that he has a point guard who can get him in the post and a head coach who has already coached an All-NBA talent at the position in Anthony Davis, then McDonough’s vision of having a player that cannot be truly matched up against in Deandre Ayton will put him head-and-shoulders above who the Sacramento Kings have.

And who do they have? Dewayne Dedmon. A decent center, someone I actually wanted the Suns to pursue this offseason, although as a backup.

Dedmon is no match to Deandre and if you were to ask any Sacramento Kings fan, they would absolutely swap Phoenix Suns centers for their own.

Would the Phoenix Suns make the position swap? No.

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