What in the World is Happening With Deandre Ayton?

Phoenix Suns center Deandre Ayton is the talk of the town, and not in a good way.

Even on a squad with Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and Chris Paul, Phoenix Suns center Deandre Ayton manages to find his name in headlines. 

The Suns picked up a crucial Game 3 victory against the Denver Nuggets, pumping just enough life into the Valley for a Game 4 that could potentially even the series heading back to Denver. 

Time will tell on that last part, but one certainty is Ayton's performance needs to improve - quickly - in order for the Suns to have their best shot at advancing to the next round. 

Ayton registered just four points and nine rebounds in Game 3, and was noticeably missing from the floor in crunch time as Jock Landale filled his role. Ayton reportedly left the arena before media were allowed in the locker room, presumably out of frustration. 

That frustration was shown on the court during a timeout:

#Suns Deandre Ayton was visibly upset with being pulled down the stretch of Game 3.

Chris Paul tried to dap him up but Ayton ignored him.@Sports360AZ #NBATwitter #SunsTwitter https://t.co/SrQyYKzOhM pic.twitter.com/SRUh7ZreYR

— Eliav Gabay (@eliavgabay) May 6, 2023

"He just scrapped. You couldn't point out anything that he did from a high level skill perspective, but he just scrapped and even when he was guarding [Jamal] Murray or guarding the smalls, he just competed," said Suns coach Monty Williams on Landale closing the game. "Guys have tough games and DA {Deandre Ayton] didn't have his best tonight but it's great to be able to have your brother out there that can pick it up for you."

Ayton has been under the microscope since arriving in Phoenix, but such is life when you're the No. 1 overall pick. Expectations are through the roof, and though Ayton has flashed potential, he hasn't scratched the surface of what people believe he can be. 

Booker - acting as one of the leaders of the team - shared this on his perspective of Ayton after a long night:

"I mean, that's life. We've been around long enough to understand every night is not going to be your night. It's just doing other things to make up for it. If you make a shot, miss a layup, you don't know what's gonna happen there, but energy and effort always has to be high, especially around this time," Booker said. 

"You can't get flustered. You can't get in your own head. I can see that a little bit with him today, so it's my job to just pump him up, like it's a next possession [mentality]. Who cares how you play, all that comes down to is if you win or lost around this time of year."

Landale - the very person who replaced Ayton in crunch time - told reporters today he's tired of people dumping on Ayton:

“I’m kind of sick of hearing about everyone shitting on him nonstop.”

I asked Jock Landale about Deandre Ayton offering him words of advice despite being benched late in Game 3, and he went on an all-time rant about DA as a teammate and player: pic.twitter.com/ORYjnhAl4S

— Gerald Bourguet (@GeraldBourguet) May 6, 2023

Ayton has a tough job, especially this series against two-time MVP Nikola Jokic. 

However, Ayton simply doesn't seem to be himself. His effort has consistently been questioned through the entire postseason and has been more of a bystander than impact player. 

Perhaps that's a side effect of playing on the same team with Durant and Booker, where opportunities to shine aren't as frequent as before. Paul's absence last game impacted Ayton more than some see on the surface, too. 

It's a mystery as to whether or not Ayton loves his team and wants to be here. He's been scrutinized for the last few years, didn't reach a contract extension with the team before hitting free agency and having an offer sheet from the Indiana Pacers matched by Phoenix. 

His name has been included in plenty of trade rumors and - on the surface - it doesn't appear as if he and Williams have the best of relationships. His future with the organization is very much in question moving forward, regardless of how this postseason unfolds.