No debate: Deandre Ayton should start at center when he returns for the Phoenix Suns
By Adam Maynes
Aron Baynes is playing out of his mind right now for the Phoenix Suns in Deandre Ayton’s absence. But this does not mean that Ayton still shouldn’t start upon his return.
In the dust of the incredible 5-2 start the Phoenix Suns are enjoying, of which Deandre Ayton has missed the last six games and Aron Baynes has played exceptionally in his stead: the Suns beat the Sacramento Kings by 29 points on opening night – with Deandre Ayton.
Ayton Scored 18 points and grabbed 10 rebounds while blocking a career-high 4 shots.
In an interview on Bickley and Marotta on Tuesday, Charles Barkley briefly mentioned that the Phoenix Suns are playing better without Ayton and the second-year center should use the moment as a “wakeup call.”
Now, I have written recently that Ayton should absolutely treat this extra time off as an extended training cap and add to his game in two very specific ways (read all about that here), and I also have a very difficult time in my mind watching Luka Doncic tear up the league in his second season while Ayton has to remain out of sight during this suspension.
But none of that means that Ayton is either a bust, or has somehow lost his position in the starting lineup.
Phoenix won by 29 points with him in the starting lineup!
In my opinion, Barkley’s comment was a bit of a throw away line.
In that moment, if he was actually tying in all of last season in which the Suns finished 17-54 with him on the court (thus 18-54 overall including this season), then I could see why he would make such a statement.
Then again, in that very same interview he (rightly) praised how great Ricky Rubio is and how having a legitimate starting point guard has made all the difference in the world – again, absolutely correct.
However, from that perspective, then one cannot place any blame on the then rookie center for the team’s failings, if the fix was less the center position and more the point guard.
This further should illustrate that had Ayton not been suspended, the Phoenix Suns are very likely still 5-2 through seven games, and for all we know: 6-1 if not 7-0.
Obviously that is pure and unadulterated speculation, but a worthy perspective nonetheless, and one that I have seen on Twitter many, many times since his suspension began.