Phoenix Suns: How Deandre Ayton compares to NBA greats through 100 games

Overcoming Inconsistencies

The recurring ankle injuries are a concern, and one would hope Ayton’s inconsistency will wane as he enters his mid-20s.

Part of the reason for this inconsistency in addition to a seeming lack of confidence or assertiveness as times as Ayton has a tendency to overthink the game (you can see his wheels spinning at times if you watch closely), is the fact that for about 75 percent of his career at this point he has played without a capable point guard who can direct an offense and put Ayton in positions to score or reward his effort to get open.

That hopefully shouldn’t be an issue anymore with the opportunity to play with Ricky Rubio for the next few seasons.

As is, Ayton projects as an All-Star player and a good No. 2 on a perennial playoff team, but if he can make himself into a B+ or A- defender on a nightly basis and/or stretch out his range to the three point arc, he still has the ceiling to develop into the 2nd best player on a championship contender.

As a fellow die-hard Suns fan who just struggled through the worst decade in franchise history by a mile (call it two miles), here’s to hoping that is exactly what Deandre Ayton becomes.