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The Phoenix Suns traded center Deandre Ayton to the Portland Trail Blazers Wednesday as part of a three-team deal that also sent guard Damian Lillard to the Milwaukee Bucks.
Just hours after the trade, Ayton was seen in NBA2K24 with a Blazers jersey on his character. Via ZackTheSunsFan on X:
https://twitter.com/zackthesunsfan/status/1707132422138339696
Ayton is a fan of the NBA2K series and has tended to make a guard, which is why he appears shorter in the video.
Ayton was drafted by the Suns with the No. 1 overall pick in 2018. He helped the team reach the 2021 NBA Finals and a franchise-best 64 wins during the 2021-22 season.
However, Ayton had a poor relationship with previous Phoenix coach Monty Williams, and his teammates reportedly grew apart from him in the last two years. The Suns also reportedly did not see Ayton as a player who deserved a max contract, and he ultimately signed one with the Indiana Pacers in restricted free agency the Suns matched.
Ayton this past season averaged 18.1 points on 58.1 percent shooting and 10.0 rebounds in 67 games. His role diminished when Phoenix traded for Kevin Durant in February.
Ayton averaged just 13.4 points in the playoffs and 9.7 rebounds per game.
Deandre Ayton played for Team Bahamas in an Olympic pre-qualifying tournament this summer. He looked leaner and had some impressive games, averaging 15.5 points, 13.8 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.3 steals and 0.8 blocks as Bahamas won the tournament and clinched a spot in an Olympic tournament next summer.
As part of Ayton's trade, the Suns received Blazers center Jusuf Nurkic, wings Keon Johnson and Nassir Little and guard Grayson Allen from the Bucks. ClutchPoints graded the trade.
