Getty Suns center Deandre Ayton
Phoenix Suns big man Deandre Ayton got ripped by an NBA champion on Twitter during the team’s Game 5 loss to the Denver Nuggets.
Kendrick Perkins, who won the 2008 championship with the Boston Celtics, tweeted that Ayton is “soft.” The ESPN analyst also called for Ayton to get benched for Jock Landale.
Ayton so damn soft. He’s not even trying to deny the damn pass at the elbow or pressure Jokic. Those are the little things that can help your teammates out man. Damn.
Monty Williams might need to really consider starting Landale in Game 6
The Suns lost Game 5 by a final score of 118-102. Ayton played 32 minutes and finished with 14 points and nine rebounds while shooting 7-of-12 from the field. The former No. 1 overall pick didn’t show much aggression on the defensive end of the floor, allowing Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic to score 29 points.
Perkins wasn’t the only one unimpressed with Ayton. Tony Jones of The Athletic said the Suns “have such an Ayton issue.”
The Suns have such an Ayton issue
Ayton doesn’t have a good relationship with Suns head coach Monty Williams, sources told Heavy Sports, so he could be traded this offseason. The Arizona product attempted to leave Phoenix last summer by signing a four-year, $132.9 million offer sheet with the Indiana Pacers in restricted free agency. However, the Suns matched the Pacers’ offer sheet.
Proposed Trade Lands Suns Kyrie Irving for Deandre Ayton
In a May 6 story called “Star-for-Star Offseason NBA Trades That Make Too Much Sense,” Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report proposed that the Suns trade Ayton to the Dallas Mavericks for Kyrie Irving, who becomes an unrestricted free agent this offseason.
“The Dallas Mavericks and Phoenix Suns seemingly both head into this offseason short on options. Dallas and Phoenix could create some flexibility together, though, by brokering a sign-and-trade of Kyrie Irving for Deandre Ayton,” Buckley wrote. “Let’s start with the Suns, who have a pair of generational scorers in Kevin Durant and Devin Booker but very little firepower beyond them. Ayton sometimes fills that void, but there is zero reliability with his scoring or even his involvement. Chris Paul remains an expert connector, but he has never been less threatening on the offensive end (career lows in points, offensive box plus/minus and offensive win shares).
“Adding Irving would give them the third shot-creator who could launch this offense into unguardable territory. There is no right way to defend an attack with Irving, Durant and Booker. Each is a headache to handle in isolations, but they’d be nightmarish when linking up on pick plays for one another.”
Ayton has been linked to the Mavericks, as Tim Cato of The Athletic wrote on May 1 that the center has been “floated” as a trade possibility for Dallas. The Suns and Mavericks would have to execute a sign-and-trade deal involving Irving and Ayton since Irving is a free agent.
Kyrie Irving Has Been Linked to the Suns
Irving has been connected to the Suns, as Phoenix approached the Brooklyn Nets about trading for the electric guard after he requested a trade in February, according to a February 14 report from Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports. Marc Stein of Substack also reported on March 20 that the Suns have been frequently mentioned as suitors for Irving this summer.
Arizona Sports’ John Gambadoro thinks the Mavericks and Suns could pull off an Irving for Ayton trade this offseason. Gambadoro said Phoenix star Kevin Durant “loves” Irving. KD and Kyrie were teammates on the Nets and are close friends off the court.
“I would not rule out a Kyrie Irving for Deandre Ayton trade in the offseason,” Gambadoro said, via SI. “I’m telling you, I think that there’s a possibility. KD loves Kyrie. I don’t think the Luka, Kyrie thing worked out … There’s only like three teams with cap space, so it’s gonna have to be a sign-and-trade.”