The first overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, Deandre Ayton has always had fans wanting more. Last night, his Portland Trail Blazers defeated the Atlanta Hawks by the score of 106-102. It was a wonderful performance by Ayton who scored 33 points on 15-20 shooting and grabbed 19 rebounds. Ayton and teammate Anfernee Simons combined for 69 of the team’s 106 points.
Portland is nowhere near the playoff race at 19-46, but the 25-year-old Ayton has a current string of very productive play.
Former First Overall Pick Coming to Life For Trail Blazers
Ayton was Drafted Ahead of a Transcendent Talent
Ayton hasn’t necessarily been a bust thus far in his career. The sixth-year pro has averaged a double-double in points and rebounds every season of his career. While not much of an outside shooter, he has made nearly 60% of his career field goal attempts.
The problem is that he’s not Luka Doncic. Doncic went third overall in the 2018 NBA Draft to the Dallas Mavericks. He has proven to be a transcendent talent, not something that Ayton is close to being. The 2018 NBA Draft also featured Jaren Jackson Jr., Trae Young, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Jalen Brunson. All of them have been named to at least one All-Star team, something Ayton has not.
After five seasons with Phoenix, Ayton was involved in a three-team last offseason that sent him to Portland. The trade netted the Suns Jusuf Nurkic and Grayson Allen, two current starters, along with other lesser pieces.
In the 2022 offseason, the Indiana Pacers agreed to a max contract offer sheet for Ayton who was a restricted free agent. The Suns decided to match the four-year, $133 million offer. Ayton has about $69.5 million and two years left on the contract after this season for Portland.
Ayton currently has career averages of 16.5 points on 59.4% shooting and 10.5 rebounds in 346 regular season games.
Improved Play After Disappointing Start
It was expected by some that Deandre Ayton could put up some huge numbers this season with a Trail Blazers team headed for the lottery. He was never going to be a go-to player on a Suns team featuring Devin Booker and now Kevin Durant as well. Now, he was heading to a team with little expectations for the 2023-24 season.
To start the season, Ayton didn’t have near the impact that was expected by many. In 10 of Ayton’s 43 games, he has failed to reach double figures in scoring. Over his first 27 games, he averaged just 12.5 points to go with 10.3 rebounds. His career-low scoring average with the Suns was 14.4 in the 2020-21 season.
In only about two more minutes per game, Ayton has been much more productive over his last 16 outings. He has averaged 20.0 points and 12.4 rebounds. He has been very efficient as well shooting 63.2% along with making 18 of his first 19 free throw attempts. His two 30+ point outings have come in his last three games.
Still just 25 years old, the Trail Blazers and their fans would love to see him keep up this play over their final 17 games. Their next game is Thursday night at home against the New York Knicks.
