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The Phoenix Suns are doing their best to be competitive in the Western Conference once more. However, the league threw a wrench in their plans when they suspended Deandre Ayton for 25 games due to taking diuretics.
The legalese of it all will confuse many basketball fans, but the Suns have no choice but to try and get a positive result in time for Ayton's return to the team. It will be quite a challenge for them to try and win without him, but they have no choice but to push through with it. There are some things Monty Williams can do in order to make Suns as successful as they can be without their star big man.
The first player that needs to step up is obviously Devin Booker. The dynamic shooting guard has always been the team's score, but he will have to step it up once more during the time that his running mate is barred from playing ball.
He did say that he will not be aiming for 50-point games anymore, and he doesn't need to do so. What he needs to do is attract enough attention that opposing guards will leave their marks and prevent him from scoring the basketball. If he can do that, his teammates will have a better time scoring easy buckets.
Of course, he wouldn't be the only playmaker in the team. Ricky Rubio will be another important player for the Suns' time without Ayton. He showed in the recently concluded FIBA World Cup what he can bring to the table, and it will be up to Williams to draw up plays that make full use of the Spaniard's incredible passing. He showcased just how impressive of a passer he is as he finished with the second-most number of assists during their overtime loss to the Denver Nuggets.
However, it's the frontcourt players who have to step up and make up for the Bahamian's averages of 16.3 points, 10.3 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.0 blocks a game.
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The player who will get the most playing time from this suspension would be Aron Baynes. The former Boston Celtic big man showcased his worth last season and will be an important interior presence for the team during the 25-game mark.
The other valued frontcourt player is Frank Kaminsky. The Indiana big didn't make much of an impact during his first four years in Charlotte, but he's had a great start to his career with the Suns. He's averaging 14 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in his first two games with the Suns. While he hasn't made his defensive presence known, his impact on the offense should more than make up for Ayton's absence.
It's going to be a long 25 games for Suns fans, but they have the talent to pull off a positive result. All the team needs to do is execute well and deny any easy games for their opponents.
