Since the conclusion of All-Star Weekend Deandre Ayton has been playing like most expected him to before the season.
The 6’11 center has seemingly been unleashed in Portland’s offense, playing 34.9 minutes over his past seven games, and being given every conceivable chance at asserting himself offensively, evident by his 18.1 shot attempts over that span.
That strategy has paid off. Ayton is averaging an All-NBA caliber 25.1 points, and 15.1 rebounds, while connecting on 63% of his shots, and turning the ball over just 2.1 times per game.
While a seven-game sample size is obviously limited, the contrast of his current performance, compared to what he did earlier in the season, stands out.
Ayton spent the first 37 games in a what appeared like a reduced role, scoring a modest 13.8 points per game, and grabbing 10.4 rebounds, which left fans curious – and frustrated – at the acquisition of the center, who was expected to step into a star caliber role.
Ayton’s current production has thus been highly welcomed. He looks noticeably more active, and head coach Chauncey Billups seems to trust his center’s touches far more now, compared to prior points in the season.
Even so, it’s fair to raise some questions about what’s currently happening in Portland. Ayton has always had immense talent, and he’s had multiple seasons of high-quality play. Why exactly did it take this long for Billups to trust a player who played a key role on a Finals team just three years ago?
Should Ayton level off soon, which isn’t out of the realm of possibility given that his production is this high, the aforementioned contrast in play is indeed so stark, that you have to wonder if the Blazers spent the vast majority of the season mishandling Ayton’s touches.
That, of course, would be the view of the skeptic. The optimist would likely argue – not entirely inaccurately – that it can take a while for a team to properly incorporate a center like Ayton, who isn’t much of a shooter, and thus needs to be given chances in a specific manner.
Whatever the answer is, one major question remains for the future of Ayton and the Trail Blazers.
How do they keep this momentum going, and into next season?
Far too often do we see players have hot streaks at the end of the regular season, only to revert back in the following season.
Ayton’s talent is so substantial, however, the onus is on the Blazers to find a way to start next season with the center playing a key role, allowing youngsters Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe to play off the attention given to the big man, as he asserts himself near the rim, sucking in the defense and opening up space on the perimeter.
Of course, that’s long-term thinking. For now, the Blazers and Ayton must keep up the new status quo. For the final month of the season, it’s crucial the 25-year-old is continued the chance to expand his game, and thus cement himself as the center of the future in Portland.
Unless noted otherwise, all stats via NBA.com, PBPStats, Cleaning the Glass or Basketball-Reference. All salary information via Spotrac. All odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook.