Tempers ran high for the Suns in Tuesday’s loss to the Wizards and there was a heated exchange between Deandre Ayton and head coach Monty Williams, writes Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. They were seen yelling at each other during a time out with 43.4 seconds left to play (video link), but Williams said the incident wasn’t just between him and Ayton.
“It was the whole team in those moments,” Williams explained. “It wasn’t just Deandre, it was the whole group out there not executing properly. It was a bit of frustration, but that happens. That was not an isolated one-person or one-player thing.”
The exchange is notable because Williams benched Ayton during Game 7 of last season’s playoff loss to the Mavericks, and Ayton revealed in training camp that he hadn’t talked to his coach since that happened. Ayton, a restricted free agent, signed a four-year, $133MM offer sheet with the Pacers in July, but the Suns quickly matched it, with general manager James Jones saying Ayton is “vital” to the team’s future.
Ayton also downplayed Tuesday’s incident, saying he and Williams were “intensified in the moment.”
“We weren’t really exchanging words,” Ayton said. “We’re a family. He knows how to talk to his boys and his boys know how to just communicate. Obviously, the whole world see it, but it’s really all love and just getting us back to regroup and just take out the confusion.”
There’s more from the Pacific Division:
- Williams believes having a buyer in place will give the Suns more stability, especially heading into the trade deadline, Rankin adds in a separate story. Phoenix has been trying to move Jae Crowder since before the start of training camp.
- The Warriors have struggled on their road trip with a depleted roster, but veterans and coaches are trying to make sure the team’s younger players aren’t blamed, per Anthony Slater of The Athletic. “It’s kind of tough to put them out there in the fourth quarter and expect them to play great when we haven’t, even the starters, we didn’t play great,” Kevon Looney said after Tuesday’s loss. “… They could play better. I feel like they’re making steps in the right direction. They’ve been playing good down there in Santa Cruz. Maybe some game experience is good for them. It’s tough to get thrown in the fire like this at the end of a trip.”
- Five days after Anthony Davis hurt his right foot, the Lakers still haven’t provided an official statement on the injury, notes Kyle Goon of The Orange County Register. Coach Darvin Ham explained the delay tonight, telling reporters, “He’s still going through the evaluation process. We’re still trying to see which course of action we should take, and you’ll know more in the coming days about that situation.”
I’m a long time Warriors fan. The young guys have to go through the experience of losing. They won a championship, but they have to understand how they got there. They got to stop depending on Steph Curry. The young guys need to start learning what Looney can teach them. They can do it. It just takes time for it all to sink in. No trade will make things better. It is a struggle, for now. The right pieces are in place. They just don’t understand it yet.
Is 23 yr old Poole a young guy? :)
Jordan Poole and Donte divincenzo are in between. They’re not 20 but they’re not veterans.
They’re the bridge players that were supposed to help bridge the gap between the inexperienced and the championships.
You definitely said that right. I’m in total agreement with you.
I think they have to move Deandre Ayton. I’ll love to see him playing for another team that will appreciate him and utilize him better.
I have a difficult time believing that with the resources available in the medical field (and especially sports medicine) that it takes five days to “evaluate” a player’s injury. No idea what the Lakers might gain from hiding Davis’ condition, but it sure feels like something funny is happening.
They need to take a month off at this point in their life and careers and this age.
Curry reached in, tweaked his shoulder and he’s taking a month off. No surgery necessary. Same with “weak-to-week-ish” he’s taking the month off as well, we just don’t know specifically what for. Yet. LeBron’s scheduled vacation will come soon after.
It’s all about being 100% for the playoffs. Its how things work today and Greg Popovich started it a few years ago in his psycho battle with Pat Riley and the Miami heat.
Like a right cross from out of nowhere, the Warriors are done
I have heard that a few times before and they always came back. Once they get passed all their injuries they will be the team nobody wants to play in the playoffs. Ask Celtics about that last year.
You said that last year. One of these years you’ll be right. Maybe when Curry’s 50.
Look for DeAndre Ayton to be traded to the Indiana Pacers in the offseason after they get bounced from the playoffs.
Indiana remains interested in Ayton, and believe he would fit very nicely with Tyrese Haliburton and Benedict Mathurin.