The Phoenix Suns entered the 2020-21 season with high hopes to say the least. Coming off a dream run to the NBA Finals most Phoenix fans saw the team winning it all or at least making it back to that grandest stage as a foregone conclusion.
However, 23 year old Slovenian sensation Luka Doncic waved his magic wand and made that all disappear.
It was a dark night in the Valley of the Sun watching our team bolstered with talent: Devin Booker, Chris Paul, and DeAndre Ayton, all lose to a team headlined by one star alone in Doncic. I will not beat an already long deceased horse, but it has to be said—the Suns made one of the biggest draft day blunders in recent memory by not drafting the teenage EuroLeague MVP.
With Devin Booker already in place as the face of the franchise, the old front office (emphasis on OLD, as in James Jones would not have made this decision) passed on two potential all-time playmakers to draft a walking double-double.
If that occurred during the 2000 NBA Draft I could stomach such a mistake, but to not understand how invaluable playmaking is when it comes from a 3-level scorer in a league dominated by LeBron James for the past two decades is inexcusable.
I am not trying to torture anyone reading this, but there is one lesson to be learned when passing up on a generational talent: what separates players like Doncic from his peers. The answer to that question has to be his blend of size, versatility, and offensive firepower.
Unfortunately, Ayton does not carry latter two of those skills at level high enough to impact the game the same way Luka does.
Regardless, I expect Ayton to go all out next season and put out further proof as to why he deserved his new contract. He has shown an interest and determination in growing as a basketball player and can do so by working on the following.