Suns just handed Deandre Ayton perfect chance at killer revenge game

The Phoenix Suns in no way miss former first overall pick Deandre Ayton, and the Los Angeles Lakers have discovered why that is this season.

The 27-year-old occasionally springing to life to make a difference, before reverting back to the passive center we came to accept in The Valley.

Ayton has chance to punish Suns badly thanks to their long injury list

Unfortunately for the Suns, their next meeting with the Lakers has handed Ayton the chance to quiet down a fanbase that has no problem pointing out his flaws.

Phoenix suffering badly with injuries, with Dillon Brooks ruled out and Devin Booker unlikely to feature with a hip issue. Even second unit stalwart Jordan Goodwin is going to sit this one out.

The franchise also didn't replace backup center Nick Richards when they sent him packing at the trade deadline, preferring to promote from within in the form of rookie Khaman Maluach.

Only playing the youngsters as a result of all of these injuries has not gone to plan so far, with the Suns dropping games as their rookies learn on the job.

With Mark Williams (who is having a career year) also suffering through a slump right now, the stage is set for Ayton to return to The Valley and have a big night.

With so much defensive attention going to be spent on Luka Doncic, Ayton will be able to get inside and create mismatches against much smaller opponents like Collin Gillespie.

Royce O'Neale has done a great job at the four this season, but he too is the kind of player that Ayton can have real success against when he is locked in.

There is a world in which this script is flipped however, and we have a mountain of evidence which suggests if Ayton isn't feeling it, he doesn't try nearly as hard.

Coming up against an improving Maluach who has a bigger frame might not suit Ayton, especially at a time when the Lakers need to win to remain competitive in the Western Conference.

No matter what happens moving on from Ayton was one of the smartest decisions the front office made at a time when they were going all in to chase a championship.

Not only was he never going to fit next to Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal, he would have been even worse on this version of the roster. Which is exactly why a revenge game may be incoming.