The Deandre Ayton saga has come to an end as the Phoenix Suns have traded him to the Portland Trail Blazers for Jusuf Nurkic and several bench players. The Suns had concerns about his defensive work rate, his ability to remain focused, and his behavior as a team player. Nevertheless, Ayton has promised to transform the narrative during his time with the Trail Blazers. In a recent interview, he stated that he plans to be more determined and focused on helping the team succeed.
“I told the guys this summer that I’ll be changing the narrative,” Ayton said.
“I’m in an organization that wants me and wants me to succeed. It’s a lot more passion when you feel that mentally and you’re seeing that physically as well. It’ll be a lot more grit and a lot more DominAyton this year.”
There were concerns about Ayton’s mental toughness during last season’s playoffs when the team was eliminated by the Denver Nuggets. Clips of him losing his composure went viral, which ultimately led to the Suns growing tired of his behavior. That being said, Ayton was a valuable player for the Suns, averaging 18.0 points per game on 58.9% shooting and 10.0 rebounds in 2023.
In his last two years with the Suns, Ayton’s blocks per game dropped to career lows of 0.7 and 0.8, respectively. His field goal percentage also decreased from 64.2% in 2021-22 to 58.9% in 2022-23, despite taking 1.2 more shots per game.
While Ayton’s offensive production is likely to increase with the Trail Blazers, it remains to be seen whether he will help the team win games and be a valuable asset to the team.
One thing we do know is that his girlfriend Adult Film Star Katt Leya will be headed to Portland with him.
Flip the page to see how she supports her man and more photos of why she is a star in her business.
