2018 NBA Mock Draft: Who’s moving at the top?

Suns’ general manager has become fond of saying of Ayton, “There really aren’t a lot of holes in his game.” That’s worrisome because it is not true, but it also could be indicative of how high the Suns are on Ayton as a prospect.

More from McDonough on Ayton: “He rebounds at a high level, his stroke for a young big I think is very good and very developed, the way he can not only score at the rim and above the rim but the way he can make shots away from the basket. I think for his size he moves his feet pretty well on the perimeter.”

Clearly, the potential versatility of Ayton on both sides of the ball is enticing for the Suns, who have a massive hole at center. They need someone who can protect the rim with so many young defenders on the perimeter, including one in Devin Booker who may never consistently be able to keep wing scorers in front of him.

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Ayton could also become the dynamic scoring partner for Booker that the fourth-year guard has never had in Phoenix. The fit between those two would rely on Ayton’s ability to step out and hit 3s, spacing the floor for Booker to drive into the lane and make plays. Overall, Ayton has to reach that type of ceiling, in addition to being a monster finisher and rebounder, to be an All-Star in the NBA. His defense may never be good enough.

It seems like the Suns are willing to make that bet at this point.