5 NBA players primed for a bounce-back season in 2023
By Lior Lampert
NBA players primed for a bounce-back season: 2. DeAndre Ayton
It feels like a lifetime ago that Deandre Ayton was taken with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft by the Suns. For the amount of heat Ayton has taken over the years, he has been one of the more reliable centers in the NBA. That is just the expectations that come with the territory of being the consensus top pick in your draft class.
A career double-double player, Ayton averaged 18 points and 10 rebounds per game in 2022-23. However, as a 7-foot center, he leaves a lot to be desired in the rim protection department. That is where new head Frank Vogel comes into play. Vogel has continuously mentioned how much he is looking forward to working with Ayton and helping him get back on track after a couple of years of turmoil with former coach Monty Williams.
Frank Vogel made a very direct point during his Suns introductory press conference that an elite rim-protecting center is very important for his defensive system to work:
— Evan Sidery (@esidery) June 6, 2023
“I’ve always had elite rim protectors. And you can get the job done without that, but boy when you got a guy… pic.twitter.com/PeY3133Vp3
Vogel has developed a bit of a reputation for being able to get the most out of his centers — he helped turn Roy Hibbert into one of the most respected centers in the NBA during his time with the Pacers. In 2019, he earned the Lakers’ coaching job where he helped propel the franchise to an NBA Championship by convincing the recently-extended Anthony Davis to play center, a position he has openly and adamantly been against playing.
Vogel’s insertion as head coach and the acquisition of Bradley Beal should alleviate some of the offensive burden from Ayton and allow Vogel to maximize his potential on the defensive end.