NBA Rumors: Deandre Ayton's Blazers Tenure 'Defined by Tardiness and Tantrums'
Deandre Ayton's inaugural year with the Portland Trail Blazers has left a lot to be desired.
Ayton's first few months with the team "were defined by tardiness and tantrums," according to Jason Quick of The Athletic. Quick compared Ayton to Trail Blazers center Hassan Whiteside due to his ability to stuff the stat sheet but have "little to no impact on a game."
In just 34 appearances this season, the 25-year-old is averaging a career-low 13.8 points per game.
Ayton was acquired by Portland during the blockbuster trade of franchise icon Damian Lillard prior to the regular season after playing the first five years of his career with the Phoenix Suns. In his final year with the Suns, the former No. 1 overall pick averaged 18.0 points and 10.0 rebounds per game on 58.9 percent shooting.
He's struggled to stand out on a young Portland team that currently owns a record of just 15-36, including a loss at the hands of the eight-win Detroit Pistons on Thursday night. Ayton has been plagued by knee issues throughout the season, missing 17 games.
His reported displeasure behind the scenes isn't exactly surprising, as his time in Phoenix was also highlighted by several disagreements. They occurred with former head coach Monty Williams frequently, as the two were seen publicly arguing in Dec. 2022 (per Yahoo Sports' Tyler Greenawalt).
When the he faced off against his former team on Nov. 21, Suns superstar Devin Booker acknowledged the difference in Ayton's intensity compared to other games.
"He played extra hard tonight," Booker said. "I seen that, and my challenge for him is to play like that every night."
If he's unable to string together consistent performances while struggling to stay on the floor, the Trail Blazers could decide to explore trades for the center, who has two years and $69 million remaining on his contract. (via Spotrac).
