Deandre Ayton’s mistake is a huge opportunity for Aron Baynes and Phoenix Suns

Deandre Ayton is likely going to be off the court until December 17th while serving his 25-game suspension. This is still a huge opportunity for Aron Baynes and the Phoenix Suns.

When Phoenix Suns General Manager James Jones acquired Aron Baynes on draft day, the expectation was never that he would start 25 games in the regular season, but that he would serve as the primary backup to Deandre Ayton and fill in only in those nights where the young star center needed a rest.

But now that Ayton is gone until the middle of December, Aron Baynes has a real opportunity to make a huge impact on a team that is desperate to build upon it’s significant offseason changes, and opening night energy.

Aron Baynes is not a scorer, never averaging more than 6.6 points per game in a season, his peak with the San Antonio Spurs in 2014-15.

He has only been a regular starter in the NBA once, his first season with the Boston Celtics when he opened 67 of 81 games played, and averaged a career-high 18.3 minutes per game.

He doesn’t stuff the box sheet in any particular category averaging only 10.5 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per-36 minutes.

And only last season did he add a 3-point shot to his game, when he finished 21-61 for 34.4% on the season – while a certainly solid shooting percentage, hardly a total number of attempts that makes him a sniper from the outside (he is 1-1 this season with the Phoenix Suns).

However, he has never been counted upon in the way he will be for the next seven-and-a-half weeks, as the team will lean on both his potential on offense and defense.

He will presumably average what would be a career-high in minutes per game over that stretch, maintaining the team’s defensive flow, while hopefully too putting up enough 3-point shots to keep his defender honest, leaving the lane open for slashers like Kelly Oubre (who couldn’t hit a 3 with any regularity if they paid him – oh wait: they do).

His ability to help stem the tide in Ayton’s absence, though, is not the only important part of this stretch for the New Zealander.

At 33-years-old, he potentially has only one contract extension left in his career.

Currently in the second-half of a two-year contract, he will have an opportunity to cash in probably one last time following this season, and if all goes well, he can sign a decent extension with the Phoenix Suns, or at least have the opportunity to market himself elsewhere.

The team is in good shape to take a solid step forward this season record-wise, although Deandre Ayton’s contribution as the team’s everyday starting center is/was expected to be a strong part of that overall growth.

Now, expectations are that the team will slide some without him, at least not win as many games as they should  have had he been on the court for 75+ games.

While it would of course be extremely unfair to expect that Aron Baynes could fill in exactly where Ayton left off, his game is still strong enough in other ways that he can help the team remain an open and flowing offense, while continuing to consistently gain strength on defense.

If the Phoenix Suns are able to win about 40% of the 25 games Ayton is expected to miss (finishing 10-15 over that stretch), that record will be in large part because of Baynes’ contributions, a huge boost to both a franchise and a fanbase desperate for continued growth and success this season over the previous nine years of disappointment.

In Deandre Ayton’s extended absence, the rest of the Phoenix Suns’ roster must find ways to make up for his loss; contributing to the team game that new Head Coach Monty Williams is implementing, and helping keep pace with the overall goal of record improvement.

Aron Baynes stands to have the greatest individual opportunity in the second-year player’s absence, and if fully taken advantage of, can not only help the team win more games than expected at this time, but potentially earn himself one last solid contract.