Deandre Ayton admits integration still in-progress as Suns seek answers

PHOENIX — One bad loss and one head coach showing the first obvious signs of frustration thereafter might mark a breaking point for the Phoenix Suns.

But in the two days since a 121-114 defeat to the Memphis Grizzlies, the Suns (14-22) themselves have not carried the same panic as the Twittersphere that cares about them, though there’s definitely a sense of urgency.

“I’m not ashamed to share those emotions with whomever,” head coach Monty Williams said of the most frustrating moments. “I think it’s also part of the process too to be real about how you feel at times, respectfully.

“The last couple of days, the coolest thing that’s happened is to be able to walk into the gym and have our guys already know what’s going to be talked about and they all agree with everything you’re saying. Cuts out like 10 minutes of me yapping, and we can get to work.”

Williams has not made any grand proclamations of change as his team clings to playoff possibilities — other than to say his Suns need consistency.

He wants an offense that’s slipped to get back to its unselfish ways and for a defense that’s been bottom-five bad in the past month-plus to work itself into the top-20 league-wide. The latter was the case, by the way, for five games until the Memphis loss.

Before the Sacramento Kings visited Phoenix on Tuesday night, Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton took the blame for that one.

Ayton is just four games in after his diuretic suspension and ankle sprain cost him all but two of the first 32 contests. While he’s averaged 14.5 points, 12.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists with 1.5 blocks per game, he admits there’s more rhythm to find.

The center is shooting 50% from the field — he shot 59% as a rookie — and has gone to the free throw line eight times in 121 minutes during the last four games. The second-year pro is aware that those stats need to trend upward.

“I just got to get to this line man,” Ayton said Tuesday after shootaround. “That fadeaway jumper ain’t working right now. I just got to get to the line. I’m getting bumped a little bit or thrown off my spot. Just get back in rhythm, to be honest.”

Ayton not only has been getting back into the swing of things as an individual.

The Suns’ lineups have changed around him. He came off the bench for two games after returning from the ankle injury and was inserted as a starter alongside Baynes in the last two games.

Williams is searching for something.

To Ayton, joining Baynes on the court has been a positive as he attempts to play catch-up.

“I love it because (Baynes) keeps us grounded,” Ayton said. “He gets on us, especially me. He basically knows my whole coverage of my guy more than me. It’s good to have a vet like that to just guide you the whole time and just do it. He knows I’m capable of it. It’s just like, a command. Just do it. He’s going to tell me the right thing.”

That bit of honesty is either refreshing or concerning.

But Ayton is far from the only player who has been blowing pick-and-role coverages or cheating off a known three-point shooter. The matchups and rotations aren’t to blame for brain farts that cropped up in the Grizzlies game.

“(It happens) ’cause you’re human. You just have like brain indigestion in games,” Williams said. “You know you’re supposed to be in this coverage. And if you look around the league, you’ll see 50 guys a night do this [pats chest].”

The Ayton integration is only part of the story here.

Regardless of how Williams continues to manage the rotations and regardless of how patient Phoenix is or should be about making Ayton the defensive anchor and top-three offensive option, the Suns’ focus remains clear. The first 11 games of the year and sporadic quarters of reverting back to that high level of play since gives them hope that they haven’t gotten close to peaking.

For Booker, who is attempting to lead by example, that means staying the course.

“That’s been this team the whole year, through the ups and downs, our gym has remained the same,” he said. “We know if we can string together a few games, how drastically, how much momentum that would give us. I think breaking the ice of putting a couple of good games together is our goal right now.”

And one

— The Memphis game stood out for how much the Suns were attempting mid-range attempts, the least-efficient shot in the game. To Booker, that is a symptom of teams running the Suns off the line.

He’s taking 5.1 threes per game, second-fewest in his five-year career.

“Just trying to find your rhythm,” he said. “I always say take what the defense gives you and simplify the game. Don’t do too much or follow any analytics or what people say — only three or layups — just play the game. A lot of teams are giving up that mid-range shot, leaving the bigs at the rim and protecting the paint.”

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