(Photo by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images)
After being mentioned in trade rumors on seemingly an annual basis while with the Phoenix Suns, center Deandre Ayton gets a chance to prove himself with a fresh start playing alongside Scoot Henderson on the Portland Trail Blazers.
Ayton was part of the three-team deal that involved the Blazers shipping superstar guard Damian Lillard to the Milwaukee Bucks to join forces with two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo.
In return for sending Ayton to Portland, the Suns received a package of players headlined by Jusuf Nurkic, who was brought in to replace the former No. 1 overall pick.
Although Ayton hasn’t lived up to what comes with being a No. 1 overall pick in the NBA, there’s no doubt that he’s still a very talented player and may have just needed a change of scenery, as it clearly wasn’t working in Phoenix.
Philadelphia 76ers newcomer Patrick Beverley took to Twitter on Friday to give some support to Ayton, who he believes will be able to turn things around in Portland after a disappointing stint with the Suns.
It’s still smoke with Ayton, but I have a feeling he go cook in Portland
— Patrick Beverley (@patbev21) September 29, 2023
Receiving public support from Beverley isn’t exactly the vote of confidence that Ayton was looking for, as Beverley tends to say anything these days to get some headlines and more people listening to his podcast.
However, he may not be wrong, as Ayton will definitely be given his time to shine with the Blazers, with Portland having a young and talented team with zero expectations coming into the 2023-24 NBA season.
Ayton could quickly become a vital part of what the Blazers do from here on out as they move out of the Lillard era and build around Henderson.
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