“Kid has talent but…”: Suns announcer raises concerns on Deandre Ayton after watching him closely for 5 years 

One of the biggest stories of the offseason occurred shortly after midnight on Monday as Deandre Ayton finalized a buyout with the Portland Trail Blazers.

The former Phoenix star will enter free agency and will be highly sought-after, but Suns announcer Eddie A Johnson has raised concerns over his future after watching him closely for five years.

Drafted as the No. 1 pick in the 2018 NBA draft by the Phoenix Suns, Ayton was projected to be the franchise star for the coming years. He started strong with an NBA All-Rookie First Team selection and led the Suns to the NBA Finals in 2021.

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However, after his contract extension, the center was traded to the Trail Blazers in 2023 and has since suffered a dip in form. In his first year, he played 55 games, averaging 16.7 points and 11.1 rebounds per game. This figure dropped further last season, with Ayton playing a measly 40 games while averaging a career-low 14.4 points and 10.2 rebounds.

His drop in form alongside his massive four-year $132.9 million contract was enough for Portland to pull the plug. Although a great free agent, Suns color commentator Eddie A. Johnson casted doubt over Ayton's future in the league with a contentious tweet:

"I guarantee multiple teams will try and sign him. Kid has talent but ……….."

After watching him in Phoenix for five years, Johnson raised concerns over the center's future, recognizing his talent but withholding from praising him any further, and remained cryptic.

Injuries and a massive contract have been a problem for Ayton in recent seasons, but the buyout should open doors for the big man. The LA Lakers are one of the possible destinations, with the team desperate to sign a center after Davis' departure to Dallas in February.

Deandre Ayton wants to "play in a winning situation" according to an NBA insider after finalizing buyout

The Portland Trail Blazers have decided to move on from DeAndre Ayton after it was revealed he would be entering the free agent market on Monday. With a year remaining and $35.6 million left on his contract, Ayton decided against playing in Portland and has opted for a buyout instead.

In a post on X/Twitter, NBA Central quoted insider Shams Charania, who claimed the center wanted to play on a team competing for a title.

"DeandreAyton wants to play in a winning situation, per @ShamsCharania," the tweet read.

The Portland Trail Blazers are undergoing a rebuild with homegrown talents and have young centers in Donovan Clingan, Yang Hansen and Robert Williams III to replace Deandre Ayton.

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About the author

Arian Kashyap

Arian Kashyap is a basketball journalist at Sportskeeda with over two years of experience at Essentially Sports and Spice Bite and a Bachelor's in Physical Education and Sports Sciences.

Arian's favorite team is the Miami Heat and it’s mainly down to Dwyane Wade being his favorite player of all time. Arian loved how explosive Wade was as a player and he had all the attributes, whether that be shooting, defending or passing. Arian really liked how he won titles both with and without a dynasty behind him.

Arian has also worked with Bhaichung Bhutia Football Schools and was the manager for a Delhi-based women’s team called Garwhal Untied. Garwhal won the Delhi league and were runners-up during his tenure.

Arian has judged essay writing competitions for the Commonwealth Students Welfare Group of India in 2023 and was a part of the U-14 team for the Bhaichung Bhutia Football Schools academy that qualified for the AIFF Round in 2023.

When not working or watching sports, Arian likes riding his motorcycle and reading.

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