Deandre Ayton's message about his game is growing louder

Deandre Ayton’s game has been getting louder for months now. His infamous “Valley-Oop” finish in the playoffs nearly brought the roof of The Footprint down, rendering notorious chatterboxes like Stephen A. Smith and Michael Wilbon — men who make a living off loudly voicing their opinions — completely silent.

For a 22-year-old who was questioned (and rightfully so) just months prior for not dunking the ball enough, the buzz Ayton conjured up with his first postseason run felt closer to a deafening roar not heard since Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals.

In a span of three months, Ayton went from the Suns’ biggest question mark in a playoff setting to a legitimate two-way force who served as a major catalyst on a championship-caliber team. It was a statement postseason, and one that spoke volumes approaching his rookie contract extension.

Ayton’s message about his game has only continued to grow louder in the months that followed — literally.

At Phoenix Suns Media Day on Monday, DA voiced something his team has been good about praising him for, but still a topic he’s rarely spoken about himself: Ayton has sacrificed more than your typical No. 1 draft pick for the good of the Suns. And as he continues to wait for that contract extension to be finalized, he’s letting everybody know it.

“Throughout the playoffs and Finals, eventually I started to realize I was starting to turn a lot of heads from a lot of doubters, and I think it was funny because I sacrificed a lot,” he said. “And I don’t think the world’s really seen my game and the type of window I have to where I already know what the requirement is, it’s just me adding on.”

It was one of the first times Ayton directly acknowledged that in order to maximize his role in Phoenix and help this team reach its fullest potential last year, he had to sacrifice. Now, with an NBA Finals run serving as proof that he’s mastered his role and is ready to build on the foundation of his game, Ayton hasn’t been shy about voicing his desires to expand his offensive repertoire.

“I put a lot of work behind it this offseason, man,” he said at training camp on Wednesday. “Coaches are talking and I’ve been telling them the things I want to do. That’s a step for me, where I’m telling the coaches what I want to do now: just being more of a threat on this offensive end to help my team win.”

So what is it that Deandre Ayton wants to do more of on offense?

“Everything,” he said. “Every single thing, man. The game has completely changed. Just mainly, being a force down low and getting to that line, pushing that ball and just, you know, being more swift in our offense.”

As much as Ayton’s playoff run solidified his status as a top-five center in today’s game, the big fella has always pushed back whenever he’s been boxed in with that label of “big man.”

He’s repeatedly brought up how he enjoyed playing the 4 in college alongside another big, including at Media Day when he was asked about a potential lineup with him and JaVale McGee sharing the court.

He’s regularly mentioned how “the game is changing,” with each new training camp playing the same ol’ song and dance about how this is going to be the year where he finally gets to let it fly from 3-point range.

And in his own words on The Players’ Tribune, he stated flat out that he hates being called “Big Fella” or even a “big man” in general — even to the point of his teammates trolling him for it.

From his players tribune article: pic.twitter.com/mdyPkCkVJo

— Jon Hajek (@jonhajek) September 29, 2021

Despite being a beast in the playoffs to the tune of 15.8 points, 11.8 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game on 65.8 percent shooting for a Finals team, Ayton occasionally seems unenthused about his current calling.

He pushes back on being called a 7-footer, reminding everyone he’s actually only 6-foot-11. He calls a dual big lineup with McGee a “dream,” and he often sounds somewhat resigned talking about his unsung duties that help this team hum along.

Deandre Ayton has the mind of a guard or a wing, trapped in a center’s body that comes with a 7-footer’s skill-set. He’s that brilliant kid in advanced math who could have the best grades in the class if only math were his favorite subject. For a time (i.e. the playoffs), it was. But how long will that last?

At Day 2 of training camp, Ayton’s feeling on his role came out when he was asked about possibly taking more 3s this year.

Deandre Ayton had some interesting things to say about shooting the 3-ball this year. Presented without comment pic.twitter.com/66TSdFPn70

— Gerald Bourguet (@GeraldBourguet) September 29, 2021

“Now that I finally established this big man role that I do not like, I finally took care of areas where I can find my shots in our offense,” he said. “Not really hunting down the shots, but if coach finally put in a play where I can pop out for that 3 and get more comfortable and comfortable as the season goes on.”

While it’s easy to fixate on the excitement of a talented, young player finally expanding his range out to 3-point territory, that “big man role that I do not like” tidbit is a head-turner. Does Ayton really not like his role as a big man?

“Of course,” he said. “I mean, I don’t like the big man role, but that’s the job at the end of the day. That’s the thing I’m great at. Big man role is just, it’s just the requirements of establishing presence and being able to show my team can rely on me in protecting the rim, communicating and just rebounding, closing out possessions strong.”

None of this is to paint Ayton as someone who’s lost sight of the ultimate goal or is falling prey to the dreaded “disease of more.” Every answer he’s given over the last week has been with the larger context of team success in mind. He’s hungry to expand his game and show more of what he can do. As long as it aligns with what he can realistically bring to the table for the good of the team, there’s nothing wrong with a desire to prove himself further.

In fact, head coach Monty Williams praised Ayton’s work ethic over the summer after giving him a special task in a shortened offseason.

“I just told him, like from day one, he’s gotta come in like game shape, and he’s lived up to it,” Williams said. “His body looks great, his cardio is at an unreal level. We want to be careful with his minutes in the preseason to start, but that’s been the most impressive thing is just his conditioning. “

According to Ayton, Williams’ request came via text message while he was on vacation back home.

“I was in the Bahamas, so I was running the beach a lot,” he said. “Once coach gave me that text, I literally forgot about the vacation. I was really just running, playing a lot of basketball, working on ball-handling and just making sure I’m up to pace with the NBA’s speed, never losing my nimbleness on the floor and just being an all-around player.”

Williams has noticed that dedication, as well as Ayton’s increased familiarity with his role and what the Suns are doing on both ends of the floor.

“His ability to pick up stuff, he’s part of the program in a different way now,” Williams said. “He’s leading conversations, he’s talking about things that matter as opposed to guessing or thinking. He’s taking the work seriously. He always did, but now he understands the importance of it and the details that go into being a really good team and an All-Star caliber player. He’s come in with a big-time focus.”

No one should be worried about Ayton’s effort or focus. His perspective hasn’t suddenly shifted to being all about himself over the team.

But until the Suns iron out a contract extension with Ayton’s people, these overt signals about wanting to show more of what he can do will continue to ring loud and clear. There’s no doubt DA believes he has more to offer offensively, and he won’t be wrong about that as he continues to methodically broaden his horizons.

But in the wake of ongoing contract negotiations, especially after Michael Porter Jr. got the five-year Designated Rookie Extension from the Denver Nuggets, this new, agent-speak message of “I’ve sacrificed and we got to the Finals, pay me already,” isn’t subtle.

A guy who has made a grand total of 7 of his 37 career attempts from beyond the arc (18.9 percent) will continue to tout his potential as a 3-point shooter. A near-7-footer with a physique of chiseled marble will continue to volunteer his preferred scenario of playing the 4. And most of all, a No. 1 pick who’s ready for his max payday will continue to publicly remind everyone how vital his sacrifice was for a legitimate title contender.

Is the production Ayton put forth last year worth the kind of rare max extension that suddenly became more routine over the summer? Historically speaking, probably not. But bearing roster construction and his immense potential for growth in mind, it wouldn’t be an egregious overpay either, and it’s impossible to argue he’s undeserving after Denver set the market with MPJ’s gaudy deal.

So until a max extension of some sort is hammered out…expect Deandre Ayton’s message to grow louder and louder.