NBA Rookie of the Year power rankings, Week 8: Jaren Jackson Jr. rising

NBA Rookie of the Year power rankings, Week 8: Jaren Jackson Jr. on the rise

PHILADELPHIA, PA - DECEMBER 2: Jaren Jackson Jr. #13 of the Memphis Grizzlies controls the ball against Ben Simmons #25 of the Philadelphia 76ers at the Wells Fargo Center on December 2, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /

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5. Deandre Ayton, Phoenix Suns

Last week: 3rd (↓2)

The Phoenix Suns have hit quite the rough patch in 2018-19 and Deandre Ayton has caught the brunt end of it. Ayton was benched in the starting lineup Thursday night in favor of Richaun Holmes, possibly in an attempt to send a message.

Whatever message head coach Igor Kokoskov was trying to send Ayton didn’t work for the overall team outlook, as for the second straight game, Phoenix was blown out in the first quarter, putting up just nine points to the Portland Trail Blazers’ 34 points.

Ayton had an okay game with 11 points and eight rebounds, but something seems amiss in Phoenix. The team has posted two straight first quarters with nine points and it seems to have trickled down to Ayton.

Across their last four losses, he’s averaging 12.5 points and 8.3 rebounds per contest — well below his season averages of 15.8 points and 10.1 rebounds per game. While it’s still early in the process, the Suns could be the latest team that makes a coaching change or they could lose their next big star mentally.