Deandre Ayton is on his way to the Portland Trail Blazers after being part of the Damian Lillard trade, ending his tumultuous time with the Phoenix Suns. The former No. 1 overall pick certainly does not seem too upset about the move.
Ayton spoke to reporters Friday and strongly indicated that he is quite happy to be in Portland. He made a point of noting that he is with “an organization that wants [him]” and that has increased his “passion.”
“I’m in an organization that wants me, and wants me to succeed. So there’s a lot more passion when you feel that mentally, you’ve seen it physically as well,” Ayton said, via Anne M. Peterson of the Associated Press. “So there will be a lot more grit and a lot more domination this year.”
Whether intentional or not, Ayton’s comments certainly seem to suggest that he’s happy to be rid of the Suns. Former coach Monty Williams was reportedly not a fan of Ayton and the center also drew criticism for his playoff performances in both 2022 and 2023. All those factors certainly seemed to lead Ayton to think that he was not really wanted by the organization.
The first overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, Ayton has put up solid numbers of 16.7 points and 10.4 rebounds per game over the course of his career. He was never a huge focal point in Phoenix, but that may change on a rebuilding Portland team.
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