Phoenix Suns power forward Ryan Anderson says Deandre Ayton's dynamic playing style is reminiscent of Anthony Davis and Dwight Howard. Anderson was traded to the Suns by the Houston Rockets this offseason. He fell out of the Rockets' rotation towards the end last year, so he'll look to reestablish himself in a new offense this time around. Anderson has formed partnerships with some talented frontcourt players in his career. He believes Ayton has the tools to play at very high level.
“The system nowadays as a center is pick-and-roll,” Anderson told reporters after the team's first day of training camp on Tuesday. “He can do a lot more than that, and coach is going to set up a lot more plays like that, but he’s going to get so many open looks because of his ability to roll hard. Once he gets a lot of attention down there, that’s when shooters like myself get wide-open. I’m excited for this dynamic. It will be really fun. It reminds me of old Anthony Davis and Dwight Howard. We had a lot of success on that man rolling to the basket, open three-point shooting around them. And he’s just so skilled. He’s already picked up on it.”
Ryan Anderson played with Howard during his prime on the Orlando Magic. The two combined for 36.7 points, and 22.2 rebounds in the 2011 season. Anderson shot 43.9 percent from deep in 2011, making him a highly sought after stretch four. After the 2011-12 season, Howard went on to sign with the Los Angeles Lakers. Anderson signed a deal with the then-New Orleans Hornets, where he partnered with Davis for four seasons.
After two seasons with the Rockets, Anderson is excited to form an inside-out game with Ayton, who was selected No. 1 overall in the 2018 NBA Draft.
Follow Us
Subscribe