Deandre Ayton Plans To Change Narrative About Himself After Blazers Trade

Deandre Ayton is getting ready to change the narrative around his name with his new team. Just recently, the landscape of the NBA changed as the Portland Trail Blazers finally traded Damian Lillard to the Milwaukee Bucks. Lillard going to the Bucks was a surprise, as many believed he would be heading to the Miami Heat.

They got another superstar on their roster for the Bucks, and they have to feel like they have an excellent chance of winning a title with Lillard. The Trail Blazers are heading into a rebuild as expected.

In the three-team deal to get Lillard to Milwaukee, the Phoenix Suns jumped in the trade. Ayton was part of the compensation that the Trail Blazers got back. Many people know him as the former first overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft.

While Ayton has been a productive player in the league, he hasn’t quite reached the superstar level like what is expected from a first-overall pick in the NBA. He plans to change the narrative about himself and his game. Here’s what he had to say.

“I told the guys this summer that I’ll be changing the narrative,” Ayton said. “I’m in an organization that wants me and wants me to succeed. There will be a lot more grit and a lot more domination this year.”

So far in five seasons, Ayton has averaged 16.7 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks per game. One of the things Ayton should work on is his defense. At 7’1”, Ayton should be more of a rim protector on the defensive end of the court. Seeing him averaging less than two blocks per game at his size and the amount of minutes he plays is concerning.

Being traded as a young player can sometimes be a good thing and a wake-up call. The Suns are title contenders this season, and moving Ayton should be his wake-up call.

With the Trail Blazers, he will get a lot more opportunities in the offense and should be around 20 points per game with a bump in his usage rate. We will have to see how he performs, but it seems as of now, that Ayton is focused.