Valley of the Suns
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Bill Simmons says the Phoenix Suns should shop Deandre Ayton

By Adam Stratton

PHOENIX, AZ - OCTOBER 23: Deandre Ayton #22 of the Phoenix Suns warms up prior to the game against the Sacramento Kings on October 23, 2019 at Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix, Arizona. 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 License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images)
PHOENIX, AZ - OCTOBER 23: Deandre Ayton #22 of the Phoenix Suns warms up prior to the game against the Sacramento Kings on October 23, 2019 at Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix, Arizona. 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 License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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The Phoenix Suns and their fans have had a love-hate relationship in the big man’s short time with the team, and now Bill Simmons says it is time for the Suns to put him on the trading block.

Bill Simmons made an appearance on the Lowe Post podcast and voiced his lack of excitement around all things Deandre Ayton. He went as far as saying the Phoenix Suns should go ahead and seek a trade for him.

Is he wrong?

Probably. He’s wrong about lots of things, as are we all. When you opine full time, it comes with the territory. Here is an excerpt of his exchange with Zach Lowe on the topic:

"Simmons: You can only imagine where I stand on [Ayton’s] ceiling.Lowe: (in sarcastic tone) You still debating the Luka or Ayton pick in your head? It’s a tough choice.Simmons: I would be shopping him right now.Lowe: People are going to say that’s crazy. It seems premature to me….Simmons: If I were the Suns, I wouldn’t want Ayton on that team. I would want to build a really fun…team around guards and shooting and all that, and I don’t know where he fits in."

Lowe’s second point seems to ring true for me. Ayton can be frustrating to watch at times. In his first game back he didn’t exactly show the level of assertiveness you’d think he’d have after sitting out 25 games, but only two games into his second year, pulling the plug and trading him now seems like way too short of a leash for the only #1 overall pick in franchise history.

As for Ayton’s lack of down-low aggression, Lowe felt echoed the frustration of many Suns fans a little earlier in the pod:

"“Deandre Ayton might be the league leader in shortest amount of time between ball hitting my fingertips and ball being shot towards the rim.”"

This is where Cameron Johnson says, “Hold my beer.”

Lowe continued:

"“All that dude wants to do is shoot is midrange [jumpers]. He catches the ball at 18 feet and it’s like I don’t even blink and the ball is already at the basket. He just wants to shoot midrange jumpers. He’s going to be one of these centers who is 7’1″ and giant and shoots two free throws a game because all he wants to do is shoot midrange jumpers.”"

All of this is objectively true, and why I think it is important for Ayton to take some classes at the Kelly Oubre school of assertiveness. However, at some point, guys just are who they are. The question becomes is the guy who Ayton is the guy the Suns can build around and win with.

Simmons went on to make a case why teams with guys like Ayton don’t achieve much success:

"“It is a prototype that doesn’t work if you actually want to win playoff games. In this current NBA…go look at the last 35 finals. How many centers were involved? It’s likeHakeem Olajuwon. Shaq for three years. That’s it.”"

It’s a solid point, however, I’d argue a complete lack of a big man can lead to exploitations around the basket on both ends of the floor. Ask the Phoenix Suns what happened during the 25 games they didn’t have Ayton.

Regardless, the duo kept prodding the Ayton over Luka decision, which while it might be fair, is unjustly magnified by how Luka is playing better than anyone anticipated at the time of the draft.

To Simmons’ original point, should the Suns put Ayton on the trading block? As of right now, no. They should not. But then again, if Karl-Anthony Towns were to express interest in moving to a warmer climate…

Finally, Simmons can’t talk about the Suns without pointing out that Devin Booker should have played for team USA at the FIBA World Cup this summer. He took a moment to gleefully poke Suns fans:

"“When the Suns started out hot. What were they, like 5-2? The Suns fan base was like, ‘Hey, Simmons! How’d the Team USA thing work out for Booker, huh? Now they are 11-16. Just want to point that out.”"

Not sure the Suns record is an argument one way or the other on that one, but sure. Okay.

dark. Next. Several demoralizing losses lead to the Suns playing demoralized

On a side note, and something we haven’t brought up, Simmons gave Valley of the Suns a shoutout on his October 18 podcast where he claimed:

"“[The Valley of the Suns] get upset when anyone says anything negative about the Suns…they don’t like me.”"

I like you, Bill. I think Suns fans just want this team to do something worthy of national writers’ praise, and well, it’s been a while. The frustration is real.

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