Here’s a question for you: would Deandre Ayton have been in the running for ROTY of the year if he had played with a competent point guard at any point during his rookie season? No disrespect to the guys that the Suns are playing at the point guard position, I’m sure they’re trying their best, but the theme throughout the season has been Ayton’s FGA numbers not being anywhere near where they should be. And that starts with point guards not getting the ball to him in the places he wants it.
Luka Doncic and Trae Young are great, but Ayton could and should have been a 24/10 guy right out of the gate. If he played with, like, any kind of passing PG at all, it could have even been Tim Frazier, his numbers would look way better and everybody would be looking at each other going “wait, we want Luka to be ROTY of the year even though he’s averaging fewer points than this guy?”
Tim Frazier was available at the beginning of the season, too. The Suns could have had him. Instead they ran with what they had, and now they’re signing Jimmer Fredette, which doesn’t really help anything at all when it comes to Ayton getting his touches. I’m not completely engulfed by indignity here, but I’m feeling twinges of it. Ayton deserves better point guard play than what he got this season.