"I've seen during the Finals where he's playing like godd**n David Robinson" - Kevin Garnett expects Deandre Ayton to raise the bar of his game, says his consistency is concerning
Deandre Ayton nearly left the Phoenix Suns this offseason after signing an offer sheet with the Indiana Pacers. While the Suns decided to match the offer sheet, Ayton was not thrilled with the organization after being benched in Game 7 of the Western Conference Semifinals against the Dallas Mavericks.
NBA champion and analyst Kevin Garnett recently discussed Ayton's potential and compared him to his fellow Hall of Famer David Robinson. On "All the Smoke" podcast, Garnett said:
"Consistency is the biggest thing with him. When I throw a question mark around him, I don't doubt his ability. I've seen during the Finals where he's playing against Giannis. Man, he looked like godd**n David Robinson.
"He was hitting 15 footers, 3's, banging your a** and then next game it was like elevator music. So, I want to see what this new contract does for him and I want to see if he's motivated to take the next step."
While Ayton has been a walking double-double since his arrival in the league, his consistency is still a concern. He definitely has the potential to be a star big man, but there have been times where he has followed up strong showings with single-digit scoring performances.
Watch Kevin Garnett's comments on Deandre Ayton below (starting at the 7:10 mark):
Can Deandre Ayton and the Phoenix Suns get back to the NBA Finals?
Deandre Ayton and the Phoenix Suns made it to the NBA Finals in 2020-2021, taking a 2-0 series lead before losing the next four games. Last season, the team suffered an embarrassing loss against the Dallas Mavericks in Game 7 of the Western Conference Semifinals.
The preseason hasn't been great for the Suns either as they lost to the Adelaide 36ers of the NBL.
BELIEVE IT.
YOUR ADELAIDE 36ERS DEFEAT THE PHOENIX SUNS.
#WeAreSixers #SwoopTheHoop https://t.co/kKIf8k62PI
According to Ayton, he hasn't spoken to head coach Monty Williams since the Game 7 incident. After attempting to leave, one could question how committed Ayton truly is to the organization.
Deandre Ayton said he and Monty Williams have not spoken about their sideline incident in Game 7: https://t.co/Z9rHYHr5yX
Unfortunately for Suns fans, this is wasn't the only issue they had to deal with during the offseason. Owner Robert Sarver was suspended and fined by the league for misconduct at the workplace.
Breaking: Suns owner Robert Sarver has been suspended one year and fined $10 million by the NBA as a result of the league’s investigation into allegations of racism and misogyny, the league announced.
More: es.pn/3de50kf https://t.co/VEmDpFxYYJ
Many Suns players condemned Sarver's actions. Although they are professionals, it could be difficult for the team to find motivation after such an offseason. Despite a talented roster, there could be too many hurdles for the Suns this time to make a run to the Finals again.