Suns center Deandre Ayton served the final game of his 25-game suspension on Monday night and is now eligible to return to the team’s lineup. Ayton’s return to action figures to happen on Tuesday in Los Angeles, where the Suns will take on the Clippers.
Following the season opener, Ayton was hit with a 25-game ban for violating the league’s anti-drug policy, having tested positive for a diuretic. The Suns initially played well in Ayton’s absence, opening the year with a 7-4 record, but they’ve slumped since then and are now 11-15, one game behind the eighth-seeded Thunder.
While Aron Baynes has played well as Phoenix’s starting center, getting the No. 1 pick back in their lineup will give the Suns a deeper, more versatile frontcourt. Ayton’s teammates are looking forward to seeing him back in action, as Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic details.
“I think he’s antsy,” Devin Booker said on Sunday. “The whole team is ready. It’s an exciting time.”
While there may be some ups and downs as the Suns work Ayton back into the rotation, the 21-year-old center provides head coach Monty Williams with a unique skill set and an athleticism that the team’s other big men don’t possess.
“He is a rim protector, he can rebound, he can score and we certainly need that pressure on the rim on offense,” Williams said, per David Brandt of The Associated Press. “All of that stuff along with moving the ball, I am hopeful that it translates into us playing even better than we have.”
Ayton’s suspension cost him approximately $2.17MM of his $9.56MM salary for 2019/20. Because Phoenix didn’t add a 16th man while Ayton was on the suspended list, no roster move is required to activate him.
Finally Ayton is back, next Collins, league has been missing these exciting young guys!