Deandre Ayton’s night was somewhat quiet, but that is not to say that he was not efficient.
After a successful season at Arizona, Deandre Ayton has received a lot of hype. In his opening game in the Las Vegas Summer League, many were watching to see how he would perform. His game wasn’t perfect, but it should be more than enough to get Phoenix excited to see more on ESPN.
Offense
Ayton got the fans on their feet after his first score, an athletic alley-oop that made him show off his wingspan to reach it.
He wasn’t outstanding on offense, but he was efficient. He made easy shots, forced fouls, and kept the defense occupied. As the game progressed, he shot a few shots out of the paint, but he showed a nice mid-range game on a few occasions.
The Mavs tried to double-team him in the post, showing a certain respect that is not usually bestowed in the summer to a rookie. When trapped, he passed early, but at least was making the right decision with the ball in his hands.
Defense
Ayton’s defense was overall solid. He used his length to give himself a deep cushion when guarding on the perimeter. This helps if they drive, as he’s only a couple of steps away from reaching the backboard. With most players, he’s still close enough to contest a shot. However, this won’t work when he’s switched on lengthy wings or quick-fire guards.
Even if Ayton is not the primary defender, his presence is felt. Dallas kept playing away from his side of the court. They didn’t try to feed the ball into the player that he was defending, and they made most of their actions when Ayton was help-side. If he was near the middle of the paint, Dallas rarely tried to attack him. Although this won’t lead to him getting a lot of blocks, it’s an asset that Ayton can carry with him to the regular season.
When Dallas did try to attack Ayton, he did not back down. One play saw him play like a brick wall in defending a poster attempt by Jalen Jones.
Effort
To be honest, Ayton’s effort was inconsistent. He sat early in the first quarter, which is something we’re not used to seeing in the Summer League. His fight for loose balls and rebounds was evident, but he also was the last player down the court at times. He missed a perimeter box-out because he simply lost sight of the player. This isn’t a red flag yet, however. Summer League is not the place where stars go to put out maximum effort. That being said, it will be something to watch as he gets more games under his belt.
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Recap
Ayton finished the game with 10 points, 8 boards, and 5 fouls in just 22 minutes of play. When compared to how other draft picks (see Trae Young and Marvin Bagley) have performed in the summer, he is certainly doing well. Now that his first-game jitters are out-of-the-way, it will be interesting to see what Ayton can do with the rest of his Summer League action.