Phoenix Suns Basketball finally returned to our lives on Friday, and based on a single presidential performance compared to the Los Angeles Lakers, it was worth the wait. After a summer of unrest that Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal saw leaving, you would be forgiven that the combination of 11 new faces plus a new head coach in Jordan Ott would mean an incoherent display.
What we were treated instead was a group that not only tried – something we have seen little of in recent years – while they drove to their victory – rival, but that also entertained the valley. It is already clear that even if they do not make the play -offs, this version of the Suns is worth tuning to view every night.
Deandre Ayton puts away terrible performance from versus former team.
Part of the enjoyment of the victory for Phoenix was watching Kaman Maluach Rookiecentrum – even though they have no attacking match at this stage – scored more points than former first general pick for the franchise, Deandre Ayton. Although Maluach could only collect four points, it was somehow three more than Ayton.
In his opinion, Devin Booker cut about his former teammate in the run -up to the game, and his performance did little to suggest that he will be a force in Los Angeles this next season. Only that is not how Ayton saw it himself – and as you can see from the video below – he saw only one point instead as a good thing.
Deandre Ayton after recording two blocks, but only two shot attempts in his debut of the Lakers’ pre -season: “I wanted to show the team that I am more dedicated in the defensive end, more than the attack … I am not here for numbers. I am just what the Lakers really want to do” pic.twitter.com/elfx3bovpy
– Dave McMenamin (@mtten) October 4, 2025
Suns fans know from their run to the NBA Finals in 2021 how important a defensive anchor Ayton can be for a team. So although it is commendable to want to give up shots and to give up points for defending for the group, that does not sound as impressive as you have just lost 103-81 and completed the match with a game rating of min two.
Context is everything, and it is also worth pointing out that LeBron James or Luka Doncic also played in the game. In their absence, he should have taken more responsibility for the offensive end, even if Ayton’s response would probably be that he could not win, regardless of what he does.
In his own words he willingly gave in to do the dirty work, and instead he had chosen to take on a huge score tax, he would also make it ridiculous. Despite this, it still feels like Ayton tries to mask the fact that he didn’t have a very impactful game and was overshadowed by a young Rookie in Maluach with whom fans Suns are already falling in love.
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