The Portland Trail Blazers got a 105-103 win over the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday, doing so without their starting center Deandre Ayton. Despite being scheduled to return to the lineup against the Nets after being out for almost a month with a knee injury, Ayton didn’t even show up in the arena.

Explaining Ayton’s unexpected absence, Blazers’ head coach Chauncey Billups told reporters that the player was unable to get out of his house in time due to ice.

Portland was struck by a blizzard, which apparently wreaked havoc on Ayton’s neighborhood. The 25-year-old player attempted to get through “sheet of ice” for several hours with no success even after being provided help by members of the Blazers organization.

You can’t blame Ayton for not being prepared to battle Portland’s harsh weather conditions. After all, he spent almost his entire career playing in places with plenty of sunshine throughout the year. He played high school basketball in San Diego, California, college basketball in Tucson, Arizona, and then spent the first five years of his pro career with the Phoenix Suns.

Ayton hasn’t been as dominant in the 2023-24 season as the Blazers hoped when they acquired him in a trade with the Suns. The first-overall pick in 2018 is averaging a career-low 13.1 points to go with 10.8 rebounds.

The post Blazers’ Deandre Ayton Unable to Get Out Of the House Due to Ice, Misses the Nets Game appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Deandre Ayton, the first overall pick in the 2018 draft, has finally got a max contract from the Phoenix Suns. However, he had to take some extra steps to get there.

After the Suns refused to make Ayton a max offer earlier this year, the 23-year-old hit the restricted free agency and found it elsewhere. The Indiana Pacers presented him with the four-year, $133 million offer sheet earlier this week, and Ayton gladly signed.

This put Phoenix at the risk of losing Ayton for nothing, and the franchise quickly used its right to match the Pacers’ offer and keep the Arizona product around for four more years. 

As ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski points out, the Suns now have to wait until January if they want to trade Ayton. Also, the player can veto any trade in the next year. This most likely rules the Suns out of the Kevin Durant sweepstakes, as it is hard to see Phoenix putting together a compelling offer for the Brooklyn Nets’ superstar without Ayton involved.

Deandre Ayton has played well for the Suns for the past four years, averaging 16.3 points and 10.5 rebounds per game during that stretch. Ayton was also one of the key contributors to the team’s NBA Finals appearance in 2021, having 15.8 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks per game during that playoff run.

While this didn’t convince the Suns that Ayton is worthy of a max offer, it isn’t hard to see why they didn’t think twice about matching the Pacers’ offer. While the franchise might think $133 million is an overpay, they are still better off with him on the roster, especially considering they would have scarce resources to replace him if he had left. 

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The Phoenix Suns and their talented center Deandre Ayton are reportedly heading towards a breakup this offseason. According to a recent report by The Athletic, it is “more likely than not” that Ayton plays elsewhere next season.

The relationship between the two sides has deteriorated ever since the Suns refused to give Ayton a max rookie extension last summer. This made the 2018’s first overall pick feel underappreciated by the franchise, and he is no longer convinced that Phoenix represents his long-term future.

On the other hand, the Suns don’t believe Ayton is a max-player even though the Arizona product had his best season as a pro in 2021-22 and averaged 17.2 points and 10.2 rebounds per game. One of the reasons is that the organization reportedly has questions about the 23-year-old player’s character and work ethic. This even caused him to clash with head coach Monty Williams and play only 17 minutes in the elimination game of the second-round series against the Dallas Mavericks.

While the Suns might not be eager to keep Ayton around, it is also improbable that they just let him walk out of the door. Since the Suns have the ability to match any offer that Ayton receives in restricted free agency, the more likely option is a sign-and-trade. This will give Phoenix something in return while allowing the player to start fresh with a new team.

Ayton has been averaging 16.3 points, 10.5 boards, and 1.0 assists since he entered the league four years ago.

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Deandre Ayton, the first overall pick in 2018, is set for restricted free agency next year after failing to agree to a rookie contract extension with the Phoenix Suns before Monday’s deadline. The negotiations between the two sides fell through after Ayton reportedly asked for a max deal, and the Suns refused to make that offer.

The type of deal that Ayton wanted, a five-year, $172.5 million contract, was already given to several members of the 2018 draft class, including Luka Doncic (Dallas Mavericks), Trae Young (Atlanta Hawks), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (OKC Thunder), and Michael Porter Jr. (Denver Nuggets). But while the 23-year-old player and his camp believed he is on the same level as the players listed above, the Suns didn’t and never made any indications they would tap into the max territory.

Not signing Ayton to a deal he wanted saves money for Phoenix short-term but might come with severe implications. Ayton already publicly signaled his concerns that the Suns don’t value him enough, so having an unhappy player on the roster could potentially be a distraction as the team attempts to return to the NBA Finals.

Also, the Suns are risking having a lot less control over Ayton than they would have if they had signed him to a max extension. While they can match offers from other teams in restricted free agency, Ayton could accept a deal that would give him an early exit and make him a free agent earlier than expected.

There is also a scenario, which is less likely, that Ayton simply signs the qualifying offer that would see him play out 2022-23 and then leave for free after.

Since entering the NBA, Ayton has averaged 16.0 points, 10.6 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.6 blocks per game.

The post Deandre Ayton Fails to Agree to a Rookie Extension with Phoenix appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The Phoenix Suns are still holding out on making a max-contract extension offer to their talented center Deandre Ayton, and that’s not sitting well with him.

Ayton recently discussed his extension talks with Suns in a chat with Arizona Sports and said that he is “disappointed” with the way they are unfolding at the moment.

“I love Phoenix, but I’m really disappointed that we haven’t really gotten a deal done yet,” Ayton said. “We were two wins from a championship, and I just really want to be respected, to be honest. Be respected like my peers are being respected by their teams.”

The respect that Ayton is looking for is the max-extension that the rest of the 2018’s draft class, including Luka Doncic (Dallas Mavericks), Trae Young (Atlanta Hawks), and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City Thunder), received. This would be a five-year, $173 million deal that tops at $207 million if escalators are met.

The reason why the Suns might not want to give Ayton the max might do with the fact that he has yet to make an All-Star team or be considered an elite center in the league. But there is no doubt that the Arizona product made big improvements to his game and could only get better in the years to come. This was especially obvious during the team’s run to the NBA Finals when he averaged a double-double (15.8 points, 11.8 boards) throughout the postseason while also holding his own on the defensive end of the floor.

Phoenix and Ayton have until October 18th to work out a deal. If they don’t get the job done by then, Ayton will become a restricted free agent next offseason. While the Suns can match any offer he receives and keep him with the franchise, they have to ask themselves if that is the approach they want to take with one of their best players.

The post DeAndre Ayton Disappointed Over Talks With Suns appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Not many people think the Phoenix Suns have a chance to make it to playoffs this season despite being included in the NBA restart in Orlando. But according to center Deandre Ayton, his Suns’ shouldn’t be written off so soon. 

Ayton recently had a video call with reporters and discussed Suns’ long odds to reach the 8th seed and the final playoff spot in the loaded Western Conference.

“We’re coming to work. We’ve been working,” said Ayton.

The 21-year-old center explained that he and his teammates are coming to Orlando motivated and want to “shut up“ doubters.

“We thank the league for choosing us as one of the teams. We’re grateful, and we’re coming to work. That’s about it. Whatever the media has to say, we’re just going to use that to add to the fuel,” he added.

While Deandre Ayton’s optimism is great to see, the reality is that Phoenix Suns face a tough path. Among the Western Conference teams invited to Orlando, Suns have the worst record (26-39) and were 13th seed before the NBA suspended its activity due to coronavirus. This positions them 6.0 games behind the eight-seeded Memphis Grizzlies while the Suns would need to jump over five teams in order to make it to playoffs.

Ayton could possibly be the difference for Suns in Orlando, considering that he was having a pretty good 2019/20 season. In 30 games, he averaged 19.0 points, 12.0 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks.

The post Deandre Ayton on Suns’ Playoff Chances: “We’re Coming to Work“ appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Steph Curry scored 34 points to help the Golden State Warriors beat the Phoenix Suns 132-109 on the New Year’s Eve.

“Pretty much the whole second quarter and beyond, we were just disciplined defensively and played with a purpose on offense,” Curry said. “Created good shots. It was a great night.”

Kevin Durant scored 25 points while Jordan Bell scored a season-high 10 points as the Warriors rammed the Suns for the 17^th time. While the game didn’t start well for the Warriors, they took control in the second quarter. By the fourth, Golden State were ahead by 30 points before the Suns pulled close to end the game with 109 points.

Rookie Deandre Ayton scored 25 points and 10 rebounds for the Suns while T.J. Warren chimed in 24 points. Devin Booker also scored 20 but none of that was enough to save the Suns from their fifth loss in six games.

Phoenix’s coach Igor Kokoskov admitted his team made plenty of errors that cost them the game.

“There’s such a low margin for error when you play the champs,” the coach said.

The warriors had three free throws before halftime, which helped lead 69-52 at the time. A slew of more errors in the second half combined with Warriors’ offensive mentality held off the Suns to the very end.

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Philadelphia 76ers’ All-Star Joel Embiid decided to give this year’s No.1 overall pick in the draft, Phoenix Suns center Deandre Ayton, a little warning ahead of NBA debut.

Embiid, who had a sit down with ESPN‘s The Jump on Friday, said that Ayton won’t have too much fun in his rookie season.

“He’s about to get his a** kicked this year,” – the 24-year-old told The Jump.

In his recognizable manner, Embiid also decided to weigh in on the comparison between him and Ayton.

“He’s going to be good,” – he added. “But when you talk about ‘He looks like Joel Embiid,’ I play on both sides of the court. I think I’m a good offensive player, good defensive player. I do it on both ends of the floor. I watched him play, and he’s got a lot of work to do. But he’s got a lot of potential. He’s going to be really good.”

If there is a player who knows how hard is to be consistent in the NBA, that’s Joel Embiid. He was drafted in 2014 but ended up missing two full seasons due to a stress fracture in his foot and two surgeries. His rookie season came in 2016, but he still didn’t manage to get through it healthy, being limited to 31 games.

It was only the last season, his fourth year in the league, that Embiid managed to catch a break. He played 63 games, averaging 22.9 points, 11.0 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.8 blocks per game, showing all of his doubters wrong. Now Joel Embiid wants to go even further.

“Last year we won 52 games,” – said Embiid. “This year I expect to go 55, 60, 65. So that’s the goal. And from there, you know, I’m going to have to be a big part of that. I’m going to have to show up every night and average, I don’t know, 27 points. And I’m excited.”

The post 76ers’ Star Joel Embiid Gives Suns’ Rookie Deandre Ayton a Little Warning appeared first on SportzBonanza.

NBA recently published the results of its annual rookie survey. The league surveyed 36 rookies on multiple topics, and these first-year players had some interesting opinions. When asked who among them will have the best NBA career, the rookies opted for Wendell Carter Jr, who was selected seventh overall by Chicago Bulls in this year’s draft.

On the second place came New York Knicks’ Kevin Knox and Los Angeles Clippers’ Jerome Robinson, while five players shared the third place among themselves. The surprising thing was that the third overall pick, Dallas Mavericks’ Luka Doncic, failed to receive any votes at all.

https://t.co/lyyU8XV5el pic.twitter.com/EG3Jk0wcBH

— Mason Ginsberg (@MasonGinsberg) August 21, 2018

2018 NBA rookie class also voted on their favorites for Rookie of the Year award. Phoenix Suns’ first overall pick DeAndre Ayton and Cleveland Cavaliers’ eighth overall pick Colin Sexton ended up receiving the most votes. Doncic managed to crack this list alongside Knox, with both players receiving enough votes for the second place.

Elsewhere in the survey, Minnesota Timberwolves’ Keita Bates-Diop, who was drafted 48th overall, was highlighted as the biggest steal in the 2018 draft while Philadelphia 76ers’ Zhaire Smith got the title of the most athletic rookie. Atlanta Hawks’ Trae Young was voted as the best shooter and best playmaker while Memphis Grizzlies’ Jevon Carter was marked as the best defender.

Finally, almost the third of the rookies had LeBron James as their favorite player.

The post 2018-19 Rookie Survey: Bulls’ Wendell Carter Jr Will Have the Best NBA Career appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Phoenix Suns had the first overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft and decided to use it well, selecting Arizona’s big man Deandre Ayton with the pick on Thursday night. There were rumors that Suns might trade the pick but decided not to pass on the chance to have a No.1 overall selection for the first time in the franchise’s history.

Sacramento Kings were next on the clock and decided to select Duke’s power forward Marvin Bagley III. There were speculations that the Kings might go all in for Slovenia and Real Madrid’s wonder kid Luka Doncic but still stuck with a more popular choice. Dallas Mavericks, on the other side, were so amazed by Doncic’s talent that they have decided to move up in the draft in order to get him.

Atlanta Hawks decided to trade their 2018 NBA Draft third overall pick to Mavericks in exchange for their fifth overall pick and lightly protected 2019 first round pick. Mavs used their newly acquired pick to get Luka Doncic.

With the fourth overall pick, Memphis Grizzlies selected Michigan’s Jaren Jackson Jr., while Hawks used the Mavericks pick to take Oklahoma’s Trae Young. Orlando Magic drafted talented big man Mohamed Bamba from Texas with the sixth pick, while Chicago Bulls also took a center with the seventh pick, Duke’s Wendell Carter. Cleveland Cavaliers used the Brooklyn Nets pick they acquired from Boston Celtics to take Alabama’s point guard Collin Sexton.

Interesting thing was that Missouri’s Michael Porter Jr., who was considered to be among top three talents in the draft class, slipped down all the way to the 14th spot, where he was selected by the Denver Nuggets. Reportedly, Porter’s back problems scared away teams and they just didn’t want to take that risk.

2018 NBA Draft also saw Philadelphia 76ers trading their tenth overall selection, Villanova’s Mikal Bridges, to Phoenix Suns in exchange for Suns’ 16th overall selection, Texas Tech’s Zhaire Smith, and Miami Heat’s unprotected 2021 first-round pick.

You can check out the all selections of 2018 NBA Draft here.

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The Portland Trail Blazers got a 105-103 win over the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday, doing so without their starting center Deandre Ayton. Despite being scheduled to return to the lineup against the Nets after being out for almost a month with a knee injury, Ayton didn’t even show up in the arena.

Explaining Ayton’s unexpected absence, Blazers’ head coach Chauncey Billups told reporters that the player was unable to get out of his house in time due to ice.

Portland was struck by a blizzard, which apparently wreaked havoc on Ayton’s neighborhood. The 25-year-old player attempted to get through “sheet of ice” for several hours with no success even after being provided help by members of the Blazers organization.

You can’t blame Ayton for not being prepared to battle Portland’s harsh weather conditions. After all, he spent almost his entire career playing in places with plenty of sunshine throughout the year. He played high school basketball in San Diego, California, college basketball in Tucson, Arizona, and then spent the first five years of his pro career with the Phoenix Suns.

Ayton hasn’t been as dominant in the 2023-24 season as the Blazers hoped when they acquired him in a trade with the Suns. The first-overall pick in 2018 is averaging a career-low 13.1 points to go with 10.8 rebounds.

The post Blazers’ Deandre Ayton Unable to Get Out Of the House Due to Ice, Misses the Nets Game appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Deandre Ayton, the first overall pick in the 2018 draft, has finally got a max contract from the Phoenix Suns. However, he had to take some extra steps to get there.

After the Suns refused to make Ayton a max offer earlier this year, the 23-year-old hit the restricted free agency and found it elsewhere. The Indiana Pacers presented him with the four-year, $133 million offer sheet earlier this week, and Ayton gladly signed.

This put Phoenix at the risk of losing Ayton for nothing, and the franchise quickly used its right to match the Pacers’ offer and keep the Arizona product around for four more years. 

As ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski points out, the Suns now have to wait until January if they want to trade Ayton. Also, the player can veto any trade in the next year. This most likely rules the Suns out of the Kevin Durant sweepstakes, as it is hard to see Phoenix putting together a compelling offer for the Brooklyn Nets’ superstar without Ayton involved.

Deandre Ayton has played well for the Suns for the past four years, averaging 16.3 points and 10.5 rebounds per game during that stretch. Ayton was also one of the key contributors to the team’s NBA Finals appearance in 2021, having 15.8 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks per game during that playoff run.

While this didn’t convince the Suns that Ayton is worthy of a max offer, it isn’t hard to see why they didn’t think twice about matching the Pacers’ offer. While the franchise might think $133 million is an overpay, they are still better off with him on the roster, especially considering they would have scarce resources to replace him if he had left. 

The post Suns Match Pacers’ 4-Year, $133 Million Offer to RFA Center Deandre Ayton appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The Phoenix Suns and their talented center Deandre Ayton are reportedly heading towards a breakup this offseason. According to a recent report by The Athletic, it is “more likely than not” that Ayton plays elsewhere next season.

The relationship between the two sides has deteriorated ever since the Suns refused to give Ayton a max rookie extension last summer. This made the 2018’s first overall pick feel underappreciated by the franchise, and he is no longer convinced that Phoenix represents his long-term future.

On the other hand, the Suns don’t believe Ayton is a max-player even though the Arizona product had his best season as a pro in 2021-22 and averaged 17.2 points and 10.2 rebounds per game. One of the reasons is that the organization reportedly has questions about the 23-year-old player’s character and work ethic. This even caused him to clash with head coach Monty Williams and play only 17 minutes in the elimination game of the second-round series against the Dallas Mavericks.

While the Suns might not be eager to keep Ayton around, it is also improbable that they just let him walk out of the door. Since the Suns have the ability to match any offer that Ayton receives in restricted free agency, the more likely option is a sign-and-trade. This will give Phoenix something in return while allowing the player to start fresh with a new team.

Ayton has been averaging 16.3 points, 10.5 boards, and 1.0 assists since he entered the league four years ago.

The post Suns’ Deandre Ayton “Likely” to Play Elsewhere Next Season appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Deandre Ayton, the first overall pick in 2018, is set for restricted free agency next year after failing to agree to a rookie contract extension with the Phoenix Suns before Monday’s deadline. The negotiations between the two sides fell through after Ayton reportedly asked for a max deal, and the Suns refused to make that offer.

The type of deal that Ayton wanted, a five-year, $172.5 million contract, was already given to several members of the 2018 draft class, including Luka Doncic (Dallas Mavericks), Trae Young (Atlanta Hawks), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (OKC Thunder), and Michael Porter Jr. (Denver Nuggets). But while the 23-year-old player and his camp believed he is on the same level as the players listed above, the Suns didn’t and never made any indications they would tap into the max territory.

Not signing Ayton to a deal he wanted saves money for Phoenix short-term but might come with severe implications. Ayton already publicly signaled his concerns that the Suns don’t value him enough, so having an unhappy player on the roster could potentially be a distraction as the team attempts to return to the NBA Finals.

Also, the Suns are risking having a lot less control over Ayton than they would have if they had signed him to a max extension. While they can match offers from other teams in restricted free agency, Ayton could accept a deal that would give him an early exit and make him a free agent earlier than expected.

There is also a scenario, which is less likely, that Ayton simply signs the qualifying offer that would see him play out 2022-23 and then leave for free after.

Since entering the NBA, Ayton has averaged 16.0 points, 10.6 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.6 blocks per game.

The post Deandre Ayton Fails to Agree to a Rookie Extension with Phoenix appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The Phoenix Suns are still holding out on making a max-contract extension offer to their talented center Deandre Ayton, and that’s not sitting well with him.

Ayton recently discussed his extension talks with Suns in a chat with Arizona Sports and said that he is “disappointed” with the way they are unfolding at the moment.

“I love Phoenix, but I’m really disappointed that we haven’t really gotten a deal done yet,” Ayton said. “We were two wins from a championship, and I just really want to be respected, to be honest. Be respected like my peers are being respected by their teams.”

The respect that Ayton is looking for is the max-extension that the rest of the 2018’s draft class, including Luka Doncic (Dallas Mavericks), Trae Young (Atlanta Hawks), and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City Thunder), received. This would be a five-year, $173 million deal that tops at $207 million if escalators are met.

The reason why the Suns might not want to give Ayton the max might do with the fact that he has yet to make an All-Star team or be considered an elite center in the league. But there is no doubt that the Arizona product made big improvements to his game and could only get better in the years to come. This was especially obvious during the team’s run to the NBA Finals when he averaged a double-double (15.8 points, 11.8 boards) throughout the postseason while also holding his own on the defensive end of the floor.

Phoenix and Ayton have until October 18th to work out a deal. If they don’t get the job done by then, Ayton will become a restricted free agent next offseason. While the Suns can match any offer he receives and keep him with the franchise, they have to ask themselves if that is the approach they want to take with one of their best players.

The post DeAndre Ayton Disappointed Over Talks With Suns appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Not many people think the Phoenix Suns have a chance to make it to playoffs this season despite being included in the NBA restart in Orlando. But according to center Deandre Ayton, his Suns’ shouldn’t be written off so soon. 

Ayton recently had a video call with reporters and discussed Suns’ long odds to reach the 8th seed and the final playoff spot in the loaded Western Conference.

“We’re coming to work. We’ve been working,” said Ayton.

The 21-year-old center explained that he and his teammates are coming to Orlando motivated and want to “shut up“ doubters.

“We thank the league for choosing us as one of the teams. We’re grateful, and we’re coming to work. That’s about it. Whatever the media has to say, we’re just going to use that to add to the fuel,” he added.

While Deandre Ayton’s optimism is great to see, the reality is that Phoenix Suns face a tough path. Among the Western Conference teams invited to Orlando, Suns have the worst record (26-39) and were 13th seed before the NBA suspended its activity due to coronavirus. This positions them 6.0 games behind the eight-seeded Memphis Grizzlies while the Suns would need to jump over five teams in order to make it to playoffs.

Ayton could possibly be the difference for Suns in Orlando, considering that he was having a pretty good 2019/20 season. In 30 games, he averaged 19.0 points, 12.0 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks.

The post Deandre Ayton on Suns’ Playoff Chances: “We’re Coming to Work“ appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Steph Curry scored 34 points to help the Golden State Warriors beat the Phoenix Suns 132-109 on the New Year’s Eve.

“Pretty much the whole second quarter and beyond, we were just disciplined defensively and played with a purpose on offense,” Curry said. “Created good shots. It was a great night.”

Kevin Durant scored 25 points while Jordan Bell scored a season-high 10 points as the Warriors rammed the Suns for the 17^th time. While the game didn’t start well for the Warriors, they took control in the second quarter. By the fourth, Golden State were ahead by 30 points before the Suns pulled close to end the game with 109 points.

Rookie Deandre Ayton scored 25 points and 10 rebounds for the Suns while T.J. Warren chimed in 24 points. Devin Booker also scored 20 but none of that was enough to save the Suns from their fifth loss in six games.

Phoenix’s coach Igor Kokoskov admitted his team made plenty of errors that cost them the game.

“There’s such a low margin for error when you play the champs,” the coach said.

The warriors had three free throws before halftime, which helped lead 69-52 at the time. A slew of more errors in the second half combined with Warriors’ offensive mentality held off the Suns to the very end.

The post Steph Curry Scores 34 Points as the Warriors top the Suns 132-109 appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Philadelphia 76ers’ All-Star Joel Embiid decided to give this year’s No.1 overall pick in the draft, Phoenix Suns center Deandre Ayton, a little warning ahead of NBA debut.

Embiid, who had a sit down with ESPN‘s The Jump on Friday, said that Ayton won’t have too much fun in his rookie season.

“He’s about to get his a** kicked this year,” – the 24-year-old told The Jump.

In his recognizable manner, Embiid also decided to weigh in on the comparison between him and Ayton.

“He’s going to be good,” – he added. “But when you talk about ‘He looks like Joel Embiid,’ I play on both sides of the court. I think I’m a good offensive player, good defensive player. I do it on both ends of the floor. I watched him play, and he’s got a lot of work to do. But he’s got a lot of potential. He’s going to be really good.”

If there is a player who knows how hard is to be consistent in the NBA, that’s Joel Embiid. He was drafted in 2014 but ended up missing two full seasons due to a stress fracture in his foot and two surgeries. His rookie season came in 2016, but he still didn’t manage to get through it healthy, being limited to 31 games.

It was only the last season, his fourth year in the league, that Embiid managed to catch a break. He played 63 games, averaging 22.9 points, 11.0 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.8 blocks per game, showing all of his doubters wrong. Now Joel Embiid wants to go even further.

“Last year we won 52 games,” – said Embiid. “This year I expect to go 55, 60, 65. So that’s the goal. And from there, you know, I’m going to have to be a big part of that. I’m going to have to show up every night and average, I don’t know, 27 points. And I’m excited.”

The post 76ers’ Star Joel Embiid Gives Suns’ Rookie Deandre Ayton a Little Warning appeared first on SportzBonanza.

NBA recently published the results of its annual rookie survey. The league surveyed 36 rookies on multiple topics, and these first-year players had some interesting opinions. When asked who among them will have the best NBA career, the rookies opted for Wendell Carter Jr, who was selected seventh overall by Chicago Bulls in this year’s draft.

On the second place came New York Knicks’ Kevin Knox and Los Angeles Clippers’ Jerome Robinson, while five players shared the third place among themselves. The surprising thing was that the third overall pick, Dallas Mavericks’ Luka Doncic, failed to receive any votes at all.

https://t.co/lyyU8XV5el pic.twitter.com/EG3Jk0wcBH

— Mason Ginsberg (@MasonGinsberg) August 21, 2018

2018 NBA rookie class also voted on their favorites for Rookie of the Year award. Phoenix Suns’ first overall pick DeAndre Ayton and Cleveland Cavaliers’ eighth overall pick Colin Sexton ended up receiving the most votes. Doncic managed to crack this list alongside Knox, with both players receiving enough votes for the second place.

Elsewhere in the survey, Minnesota Timberwolves’ Keita Bates-Diop, who was drafted 48th overall, was highlighted as the biggest steal in the 2018 draft while Philadelphia 76ers’ Zhaire Smith got the title of the most athletic rookie. Atlanta Hawks’ Trae Young was voted as the best shooter and best playmaker while Memphis Grizzlies’ Jevon Carter was marked as the best defender.

Finally, almost the third of the rookies had LeBron James as their favorite player.

The post 2018-19 Rookie Survey: Bulls’ Wendell Carter Jr Will Have the Best NBA Career appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Phoenix Suns had the first overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft and decided to use it well, selecting Arizona’s big man Deandre Ayton with the pick on Thursday night. There were rumors that Suns might trade the pick but decided not to pass on the chance to have a No.1 overall selection for the first time in the franchise’s history.

Sacramento Kings were next on the clock and decided to select Duke’s power forward Marvin Bagley III. There were speculations that the Kings might go all in for Slovenia and Real Madrid’s wonder kid Luka Doncic but still stuck with a more popular choice. Dallas Mavericks, on the other side, were so amazed by Doncic’s talent that they have decided to move up in the draft in order to get him.

Atlanta Hawks decided to trade their 2018 NBA Draft third overall pick to Mavericks in exchange for their fifth overall pick and lightly protected 2019 first round pick. Mavs used their newly acquired pick to get Luka Doncic.

With the fourth overall pick, Memphis Grizzlies selected Michigan’s Jaren Jackson Jr., while Hawks used the Mavericks pick to take Oklahoma’s Trae Young. Orlando Magic drafted talented big man Mohamed Bamba from Texas with the sixth pick, while Chicago Bulls also took a center with the seventh pick, Duke’s Wendell Carter. Cleveland Cavaliers used the Brooklyn Nets pick they acquired from Boston Celtics to take Alabama’s point guard Collin Sexton.

Interesting thing was that Missouri’s Michael Porter Jr., who was considered to be among top three talents in the draft class, slipped down all the way to the 14th spot, where he was selected by the Denver Nuggets. Reportedly, Porter’s back problems scared away teams and they just didn’t want to take that risk.

2018 NBA Draft also saw Philadelphia 76ers trading their tenth overall selection, Villanova’s Mikal Bridges, to Phoenix Suns in exchange for Suns’ 16th overall selection, Texas Tech’s Zhaire Smith, and Miami Heat’s unprotected 2021 first-round pick.

You can check out the all selections of 2018 NBA Draft here.

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