On October 21, Beijing time, the Suns vs Nuggets showdown has arrived, after the end of the first half of the game, the Suns finally faced the Nuggets to achieve a 58-51 big score lead, this team has really been reborn after entering the finals last season.
And one of the Players the Suns played best in the first half was undoubtedly the core of their ace, DeAndre Ayton, facing the league's number one center today, MVP Super Giant Jokic. Ayton can be said to have crushed Teacher Yo most of the time, as if he was using his performance to shout silently to the sun's top brass, why am I not worthy of the top salary?
In terms of data in the whole half, Ayton once won a complete victory, he played for 15 minutes, 5 of 7 shots, 2 of 3 points, easily cut 13 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 steal. Jokic, on the other hand, only scored three goals in the final moments of the first half, before he was always behind Ayton, and finally had 15 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals in the half of 10 shooting, but also made 3 turnovers.
It should be said that if it were not for the last two minutes of the first half, in the 22 minutes of the showdown before halftime, Ayton suppressed Jokic. At the same time, it is even more surprising that Ayton has even developed offensive firepower outside the three-point line, so Ayton really has no weakness now, and he has become an inside line that is very suitable for this small-ball era.
And as soon as the ball came up, the Suns' teammates were really powerful enough to feed Ayton crazy, and Paul Booker basically gave the ball to Ayton. Ayton in the first 7 attacks of the Suns, directly a person shot 5 times, before you rarely see the team to give him such a pass, ah, now there is such a situation, they are also releasing a goodwill to Ayton, and prove that teammates and brothers are on your side, the team does not give you a maximum salary it does not matter, they will definitely try to give Ayton as much as possible to let him find a way to prove himself.
Now if Ayton can prove himself to be a stable 20+10 through this season, and can beat Jokic, the top interior line of the hard steel Embiid, and the shooting ability to open up space with one hand, then Ayton is absolutely worthy of another top salary. In fact, it doesn't matter if the Suns don't give him a maximum salary, the team in the free market next season can only give Ayton a super leading contract of 4 years and 130 million, and as long as the Suns match this contract, Ayton must stay in the team, and they have the right to match first.
So for the Suns to keep him is not a problem, of course, if this is the case, Ayton wants 5 years 200 million to 4 years 130 million, he will definitely be dissatisfied with the team, willing to continue to play well for the team is not easy to say.