Phoenix Suns center Deandre Ayton bared that fans should expect to see him stretching the floor more once the 2019-20 NBA regular season officially resumes on July 30.
The 22-year-old Bahamian, who usually operates from the midrange to the low block, revealed that he got the green light from Suns brass to continue firing away from 3-point country.
https://twitter.com/GeraldBourguet/status/1287479606635720705
Deandre Ayton has been showing off his new-found range during the Suns' scrimmages in Orlando, Florida, going 2-for-2 at the beginning of the restart.
"It's a green light to shoot that shot. So I'm more comfortable." Deandre Ayton as he's 2-of-2 from 3 in the #NBA restart. #Suns
— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) July 26, 2020
The Boston Celtics certainly didn't expect the 6-foot-11 banger to have that shot in his arsenal, as they left him completely wide-open on this play:
Will @DeandreAyton go 3/3 on Tuesday with another 3?!@ConnsHomePlus #MakeItHappen Play of the Game! pic.twitter.com/Nn1FAWzffT
— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) July 26, 2020
After serving his 25-game suspension at the beginning of the season for testing positive for a diuretic, Deandre Ayton was pretty solid upon his return. The Arizona-product normed 19.0 points on 54.8 percent shooting from the field, along with 12.0 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.7 blocks in 30 games.
But unlike the elite bigs of today's game, Ayton has yet to convert a 3-pointer in the regular season in his first two years in the league. While he also possesses a smooth stroke from the perimeter, Ayton's inability to shoot from past the arc has given the Suns some spacing issues in the past.
Ayton expanding his arsenal is definitely good news for the Suns, who are seeking to make a run for that 8th and final playoff spot in the West. The team currently ranks 13th in the conference with a 26-39 slate.
The top pick of the 2018 draft has been criticized for his supposed lack of physicality at the 5 spot. Ayton has reportedly used the hiatus to slim down and become more agile for the team.
It remains unclear if these changes could be beneficial or detrimental for Phoenix moving forward.
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