Getty Aaron Gordon, Deandre Ayton and Nikola Jokic
Deandre Ayton went viral during the Phoenix Suns‘ Game 3 win over the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference Semifinals.
Suns head coach Monty Williams closed the game with Jock Landale and Ayton sat at the end of the bench. The former No. 1 overall pick also didn’t speak to reporters after the game.
It looks like Monty Williams will close with Jock Landale over Deandre Ayton, who doesn’t appear to be thrilled as he sits at the end of the bench.
Ayton finished Game 3 with just four points while shooting 2-of-6 from the field in 26 minutes. While the 24-year-old did grab nine rebounds, he was a -4 on the floor.
Meanwhile, Landale had six points and nine rebounds in 22 minutes while shooting a perfect 3-of-3 overall. He was a +10 and played with more energy than Ayton as the Suns defeated the Nuggets by a final score of 121-114. The best-of-seven series is now 2-1 in Denver’s favor.
Deandre Ayton Got Roasted on Twitter
Ayton got roasted on Twitter for his performance and poor body language in Game 3.
Deandre Ayton left Chris Paul hanging twice after getting pulled for Jock Landale in the 4th quarter of Game 3.
He also exited the arena quickly before media were allowed in, per @espn_mcmahon 👀
(🎥 via @eliavgabay)
Rough sequence for Deandre Ayton:
-Can’t finish against Jamal Murray at the rim
-Gets stripped after a rebound
-Slow to recover on Nikola Jokic’s shot
Jokic is absolutely OBLITERATING DeAndre Ayton. I don’t think Monty can play him another minute in this game…That’s how bad it’s been
Deandre Ayton should feel embarrassed. A Center that plays timid will not work in today’s NBA. You have to show effort and be aggressive. He is more talented than Kevon Looney, but I’ll take Looney any day over Ayton. #NBA
Ayton tried to leave the Suns last summer by signing a four-year, $132.9 million offer sheet with the Indiana Pacers. However, Phoenix matched Indiana’s offer sheet. Multiple sources have told Heavy Sports that Ayton and Williams don’t have the best relationship.
Ayton averaged 18.0 points and 10.0 rebounds during the regular season. Game 4 of the Suns-Nuggets series is on May 7 and it will certainly be interesting to see how Ayton plays and acts after getting benched in Game 3.
The Mavericks Have Been Linked to Deandre Ayton
Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report reported on April 8 that the Dallas Mavericks may try to trade for Ayton this offseason if All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving returns in unrestricted free agency.
“Assuming Irving returns, the Mavericks might have an eye (via trade) on Phoenix Suns center Deandre Ayton,” Pincus wrote. “Per NBA sources, Dallas also eyed Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner and Atlanta Hawks forward/center John Collins before the trade deadline.”
In a March 28 story titled “Who Should Be Untouchable On Every NBA Team This Offseason?,” Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley said Kevin Durant and Devin Booker are the only players on the Suns who are untouchable in trade talks.
“Talent-wise, Booker and Durant rise above the rest of this roster. Frankly, they rise above the majority of this league. A healthy Durant has a credible case as the best player in basketball. Booker has climbed up so far on the NBA ladder he’s running out of rungs,” Buckley wrote. “They aren’t the only players in this discussion for the Phoenix Suns, though. While they could shop Chris Paul or Deandre Ayton, it’s hard to envision finding a better plug-and-play option for either spot. It would more likely involve Ayton than Paul, since the former is younger and plays less of a premium position, but neither seems super likely. Not super likely isn’t the same as impossible, though, and that’s before accounting for how an early playoff exit might impact that likelihood. What if teams dare Paul to consistently score on them, and the 37-year-old can’t? What if Ayton can’t stay on the floor again? The Suns could then be in line for substantial changes this summer, just none that involve Booker or Durant.”