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Phoenix Suns: Grading every player’s 2019-20 season

By Jono Perilli

PHOENIX, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 28: Deandre Ayton #22 of the Phoenix Suns high fives Dario Saric #20 after scoring against the Detroit Pistons during the first half of the NBA game at Talking Stick Resort Arena on February 28, 2020 in Phoenix, Arizona. 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2020 NBAE. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 28: Deandre Ayton #22 of the Phoenix Suns high fives Dario Saric #20 after scoring against the Detroit Pistons during the first half of the NBA game at Talking Stick Resort Arena on February 28, 2020 in Phoenix, Arizona. 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2020 NBAE. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /
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Phoenix Suns (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Phoenix Suns (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /

Deandre Ayton

It’s hard to grade Deandre Ayton considering he only played 30 games in the 2019-20 season, but he was great when he played.

The former first pick in the 2018 NBA Draft had, and still has, a lot of pressure on his shoulders heading into his career. More pressure fell on him after the big man tested positive for a diuretic, which violated the NBPA/NBA Anti-Drug program, banning him for 25 games early on in the season. That hurt the team a lot, especially since Ayton was looking to develop into one of the best bigs in the Western Conference.

In the 30 games he did play though, Ayton averaged 19.0 points per game, with 12.0 rebounds per game and 1.7 blocks per game, impressive stats for a sophomore. Ayton was fairly great in the limited games he played, but he still has a lot of work to do before he can become truly polarising. This season, though, was evidence that Ayton is on his way.

light. Related Story. Suns: Draft prospects for the team to consider

One fantastic game by Ayton was his 28 point, 19 rebound dominance against the Denver Nuggets. Ayton totaled 20 double-doubles in only 30 games, which is fairly impressive considering his stage in his young career.

Ayton does have an issue that hasn’t, surprisingly, been overly detrimental to his career. That issue is his lack of ability to stretch the floor. I mean, he’s a fantastic back-to-basket big man, arguably one of the best in the league, but imagine him with a reliable jump shot. That was why the Suns did just as well with Aron Baynes, because of his ability to stretch the floor.

Still, it’s fairly tough to grade Ayton, but we can’t be too easy on him because of his small sample size. He had some awesome moments, but that suspension is a stain on his seasonal performance. We only just saw the beginning of the Ayton this season, but hopefully, we see an improvement soon.

Grade: A-

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