Deandre Ayton and Monty Williams were seen talking Saturday after the Suns big man said he and his head coach hadn't spoken since Game 7 vs. Dallas.
Then Ayton said he and Williams are cool. The Ayton-Williams relationship is as important as any coach-player interaction for this team. Ayton has had to make more sacrifices to his game than anyone else on the team.
If he's unhappy and doesn’t fully fulfill his job description of being a force in the paint, rebounding and anchoring the defense, the Suns have no one who can do all that at his level. Booker can score 40 and Chris Paul can have a triple-double, but Phoenix needs Ayton to be special to win a championship.Ayton impacts the team's vibe. Early in camp, it felt different. Now the team vibe feels more energized. Players are having livelier interactions on the court, bench and during the media viewing portion of practice.What Ayton brings besides a double-double and All-Star talent is a youthful enthusiasm that’s contagious.
The laughter sometimes gives off the impression Ayton isn’t taking the game seriously. He can exaggerate a bit in his postgame comments, but Ayton has a serious side that is direct and to the point. Williams has said he has disagreements with Booker, Paul, Mikal Bridges and other players. He even looks to hire coaches who view things differently.At day’s end, Williams and Ayton want the same thing – a championship. They’re both bound to disagree, but they have mutual respect for each other.Williams knows Ayton is a tremendous talent who is a good kid still trying to figure it out.
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