Deandre Ayton is off to a solid start this season, averaging 15.5 points and 7.5 rebounds per game for the 8-4 Lakers. He's having arguably his most successful season since 2022, and it's the result of playing with excellent playmakers and good coaching. The Suns had similar success with Ayton once upon a time, but were not able to maximize his impact and finally shipped him out in 2023.
Ayton can succeed in a very specific role.
As a center with limited abilities, Ayton needs quality playmakers to set him up. His best performances on the Suns came when Chris Paul was feeding him easy baskets. This dynamic alongside Devin Booker led to a Finals appearance in 2021 and an impressive 64 wins in 2022. However, Ayton and the Suns always expected him to do more and turn into a true self-creator who could be a long-term costar for Booker.
Unfortunately, Ayton's version of creating for himself involves taking some of the most inefficient shots in basketball. He would often resort to midrange pull-ups in isolation, a particularly infuriating habit considering his potential for physical dominance. Rather than using his frame and size properly, Ayton instead bailed out opposing defenses by settling for jumpers.
In his last season in Phoenix, Ayton took midrange shots at nearly twice his current frequency. He became the first high-profile Sun to be happily shipped out in recent years, but now he's finally found a place that makes the most of his talents. The Lakers have put him in a position to succeed by putting him in pick-and-rolls with elite passers and a strict coach in JJ Redick.
Perhaps if the Suns had developed Ayton into a solid role player, they would have built a better all-around team. He could have helped avoid the tumultuous rosters of the last two seasons, and given Booker more support. Although he is not a strong isolation scorer himself, Ayton's proficiency in the pick-and-roll can definitely make life easier for a guard with improved playmaking.
The Suns made a major mistake drafting Deandre Ayton first overall in general; All-NBA First-teamers Luka Doncic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander were selected with later picks. But the Suns still found considerable success with Ayton and could have built upon their foundation to improve their team steadily and grow the big man's talents. Instead, the Suns gave up on Ayton and tried to accelerate their team-building by shooting for big stars, which they have since come to regret.
It's too late for the Suns to redo any of their mistakes with Ayton, but it can teach them valuable lessons for the future. Most importantly, they need to put their young players in positions to succeed and understand their limitations when they become obvious.