« Reply #46 on: December 04, 2017, 04:19:47 PM »
I'm kind of obsessed with the idea of Deandre Ayton shadowing Al Horford, one of the smartest players in basketball, for 2 years and then stepping into the starting lineup when Horford's contract is up (and maybe Al would take a discount and a bench role by that time).
I need to stop thinking about it, though, the odds being what they are.
I’d be obsessed with that except that I think Al will still be a better player and more deserving starter than Ayton by the time Horford’s contract is up. I also think young bigs need a lot of court time to practice being the lead communicator on defense, and so Ayton would not as well-served by a 15 minute apprenticeship every night.
That said, Ayton is the freshman who’s most impressed me so far this year. I thought he was overhyped because he was tall and athletic, but I’m really impressed at some of his skills that indicate more maturity than your typical young big, specifically a pretty low foul rate and a very low turnover rate given his usage. Curious to see if that continues through conference play, when he’ll consistently face more difficult competition, as well as seeing teams multiple times who are familiar with Arizona’s offensive and defensive sets. But the early returns have converted me.
If we are lucky enough for it to be an issue, I'd expect Ayton would get around 15-18 minutes as Al's backup and another 10 minutes or so alongside him.
« Last Edit: December 04, 2017, 04:28:47 PM by Big333223 »
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