Aside from their regular-season opener, the Phoenix Suns have been without Deandre Ayton for the whole 2019 season. That will change on Tuesday when he returns from his 25-game suspension against the Los Angeles Clippers.
There were significant overreactions to the early success the Suns experienced without Ayton. At one point, they held a 7-4 record before completely unraveling. Since the solid start, they have gone 4-11 over their last 15 outings.
A clear issue for the Suns so far has been their inability to execute on the defensive end of the floor. They are giving up 109.2 points per 100 possessions (18th) through 26 games, while scoring 110.5 points per 100 possession (7th) of their own.
The greatest way that Ayton can help to elevate his team enough to earn a spot in the Western Conference playoff picture would be through a strong defensive impact.
A particular area that has plagued the Suns' defense the most has been their inability to protect the rim. They are allowing 1.236 points per possession (26th) on finishes around the basket (not post-ups), which accounts for 36.6% of the shot attempts within the half-court of their opponents. Given the physical tools that Ayton possesses, such as being 6'11” with a 7'6″ wingspan, he is the team's best hope for improving their rim protection.
Having a strong rim protection presence can go a long way for a team's overall defensive results. It allows for mistakes in on-ball defense to be better covered up while providing greater flexibility to teammates to be more aggressive. That can lead to forcing more missed shots and generating more defensive playmaking sequences. That's why it's crucial for Ayton to be the anchor and to do it at a high level.
There isn't quite as much need for improvement from the Suns on the offensive end of the floor as there is on defense. They have been quite effective with Aron Baynes on the court for a variety of reasons. Phoenix has posted a 112.1 offensive rating with him playing while he has averaged 14.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 2.4 assists. Let's not forget, he's shooting an impressive 1.8-of-4.4 (40.5%) from deep, too.
While Ayton hasn't been given much opportunity to showcase any secret perimeter shooting skills, there are known elements to his game that helped the Suns plenty last season. It starts with the fact that he was an elite finisher around the basket while also being a respectable post scorer. Having those two attributes can provide additional layers to Phoenix's offensive attack.
Being able to have both Ayton and Baynes in the rotation will be a boost in itself for the Suns. There are dynamic elements that Ayton can bring to the table while still developing as a player. Meanwhile, Baynes can provide a cohesive veteran impact off the bench and provide a boost in floor spacing and in the nuances of the game.
Getting Ayton back from his suspension won't fix every issue the Suns have, but it would go a long way if he can take the next step defensively. The offensive end will solve itself over time because he's already got a foundation of clear strengths to build upon.
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