The Phoenix Suns are a machine, not in the sense of roboticism, but rather churning out wins with a flowing dominance in an art-like fashion. It’s simply what makes them the best team in basketball and on pace for the best regular season finish in franchise history.
Their plethora of wings in Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, and Jae Crowder provide them the lineup versatility and play linking that ratchets their level of play up another notch.
Often, the team is thought of for their dominant guard play, understandable given that they’re led by perhaps the greatest point guard of the last 20 years and homegrown two-guard, Devin Booker. Chris Paul continues to play at an All-NBA level in season 17 while Booker has consistently honed his game and made further all-around strides.
In some ways, the positive play of the bigs on the roster has been largely credited to Phoenix’s dynamic guards, which makes sense to a degree. The Suns run an offense predicated on pick and roll. Defenses sell out to stop one of the greatest ball-screen operators in league history and to stymie Booker on the second-side; play finishing is certainly easier in the most beautiful offense in the league.
I consistently find Deandre Ayton’s season undersold outside of Arizona, and that’s a shame! Ayton is an obelisk of efficiency, arguably the most superb play finisher in the NBA. Out of players who have played at least 500 minutes and taken 30 or more shots from four-to-14 feet, only Gary Payton II and Nikola Jokic have finished at a higher clip, per Cleaning the Glass. Filter to 40 shots and it’s just Jokic!
Good morning!
DeAndre Ayton is shooting 62% from 4-14 feet (The second best mark on volume, only behind Nikola Jokic) pic.twitter.com/Q5DTQYimED
— Mark Schindler (@MG_Schindler) March 14, 2022
He’s shooting 68% on hook shots, which is just an absurd number to comprehend. While Paul and Booker stirring the drink is what kicks the Suns into high gear, Ayton’s ability to be the metaphorical hammer to anvil elevates the offense.
Much has been and will continue to be made of the Suns selecting Ayton over Luka Doncic and Trae Young, but I’d argue that just as much needs to be made of how Ayton has adapted himself to bolster a contender.
It’s not often that a first overall pick takes a substantially smaller number of shots in years 3 & 4 compared to their first two seasons (10.6 compared to 13.2) and thrives in spite of it without diminishing their own value. 87% of his field goal attempts this season have come after less than two seconds of possession compared to only 73.2% his rookie season, according to Second Spectrum tracking.
That’s not the end all be all, but Ayton quickening his decision-making and ability to get his shot off has been astounding. Part of what makes him so exceptional as an outlet is his shot preparation and ability to rip off his jumper or a quick floater in a moment’s notice.
Quick appreciation for the Ayton quick jumpers inside 15 feet
He gets them up so fast, especially for his size, and feels like he shoots 73% on them pic.twitter.com/oP8mZRnFnX
— Mark Schindler (@MG_Schindler) February 27, 2022
He always has his hands at the ready and he rarely drops a pass. He moves so smoothly in the paint to open himself up for passes off drives to the rim, and his otherworldly efficiency creates a tension for opposing rim protectors that exists in most offensive ecosystems. Do you help at the rim? Or do you leave a 7-footer with absurd touch wide open at nine feet? That hook shot is legitimately as effective, if not more, than most layups. That is a statement that holds true for Deandre Ayton and him alone.
While I don’t think he needs to expand his game beyond the arc, his touch, footwork, and shot prep make me a believer in him as a three-point shooter in time.
With Chris Paul out, Ayton seems to see the vision as well!
I appreciate that Ayton sees the full on face-up vision pic.twitter.com/FvDu39gRkv
— Mark Schindler (@MG_Schindler) March 14, 2022
The 32% from deep on low volume is not anything to write home about, but he feels like a shoo-in as a shooter in time if it were prioritized by him and the team.
He shoots 46% on jumpers inside the arc in a variety of ways. He’s comfortable popping out to space or floating to make himself available. The quickness and smooth explosiveness exists from all areas of the floor, quick jabbing in the occasional face-up opportunity against an opposing big.
I keep mentioning the quickness, but it’s worth repeating yet again; the fluidity with which he operates often seems to take opposition by surprise. People that size just don’t move like THAT. How do you counter a 7-footer that can transition from offensive board to quick post-up, to facing up, to a rip-through up into a jumper that’s near impossible to contest… in less than two seconds?
Ayton is far from a finished product, and the flashes of his further-developing ability to exploit with his gifts consistently shine through this season. The Suns are built on their guards, but man, do not forget about the former first overall pick who has routinely shown himself as the quiet backbone of this team on both ends. He’s having a special season even if the box score doesn’t paint out impending stardom.
