Concerning Deandre Ayton Attitude Issues Emerge After Trail Blazers Release Him

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Dean Koutouratsas | Last updated Jul 1, 2025 2:12 PM ET

The Portland Trail Blazers agreed on Monday to buy out the remainder of center Deandre Ayton’s four-year, $132 million max contract.

Portland decided to release the former No. 1 overall pick after he played one of his poorest seasons at only 26. Ayton averaged 14.4 points and 10.2 rebounds per game in 40 appearances after missing a considerable amount of action with a left calf strain.

Furthermore, his termination became more evident as he dealt with lateness, missed rehab and emotional sideline reactions, according to The Athletic senior writer Jason Quick. Quick, who spoke to multiple Trail Blazers officials, noted that Ayton’s problem wasn’t the lack of availability but rather his inability to show professionalism and a commitment to the organization.

“See, the Blazers could live with Ayton missing shots or his man scoring on him,” Quick wrote. “They could even live with him being limited by injuries to 55 and 40 games in his two seasons in Portland.”

“But in the end, they couldn’t live with his bad ways. The tardiness to team flights and practices, according to a team source. The skipping of rehabilitation appointments.”

Ayton’s behavioral issues could become a red flag for any team looking into signing him now that he is a free agent. Teams that could sign Ayton include the Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors, San Antonio Spurs and New York Knicks, according to a recent Yahoo Sports report, but that could easily change due to Quick’s findings.

“Fans saw him slam chairs when he was taken out of games,“ Quick reported. “And a team source said there were tantrums in the locker room when he was sidelined for poor effort.”

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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