Deandre Ayton: 2018 NBA Draft player profile

Weaknesses

Defense 

Defense is very broad, but we can unpack all of the deficiencies in one place. For a guy with the size, mobility and wingspan that Ayton possesses, he should be a lot better.

Let’s get the one disclaimer out of the way: Yes, Ayton’s numbers are a little skewed because he played mostly at the 4. That being said, if you watch Arizona consistently, plays like this clip below happened pretty much every game.

That’s not to say Ayton can’t or won’t get better over time. We could land in a great spot and work incredibly hard to master the defensive side of things. You want him to be your team’s defensive anchor. That’s what makes a player like Embiid so great — even when he’s off, he can win you games with his defense. Right now, Ayton’s just not there.

The biggest complaint about Ayton in general is his rim protection. We shouldn’t be as concerned with block totals, though those certainly could be better. It’s more about being an elite communicator and making the right rotations. Defense is hard to master, but if Ayton never becomes a good defender, he won’t live up to being picked first overall.

Ayton has stretches where he dominates the paint, the boards and defends well in space. That raises questions about what exactly the issues are. I think it’s a combination of taking some plays off and not reading the game super well. The latter point is an issue for Ayton is general, but only marginally. Decision-making is key. It’s why many bigs less athletic than Ayton have thrived as defensive anchors, like Al Horford. Becoming a smarter and more willing defender is vital.