Former Suns C Deandre Ayton Slammed for Missing Blazers Game

PHOENIX -- The Phoenix Suns no longer employ the talents of center Deandre Ayton, though his name still invokes a joke or two when brought up around the Valley.

Yesterday's incident only brought more fuel to the fire.

Ayton - now with the Portland Trail Blazers - was trapped in his home due to a recent ice storm, which ultimately caused him to miss their eventual 105-103 victory over the Brooklyn Nets.

From Blazers team reporter Casey Holdahl:

"Ayton tried for hours to combat the sheet of ice leading out of his neighborhood and the team sent people out to help as well, but to no avail, so he is out for tonight’s game versus Brooklyn."

Ayton tried for hours to combat the sheet of ice leading out of his neighborhood and the team sent people out to help as well, but to no avail, so he is out for tonight’s game versus Brooklyn https://t.co/Oa0Rv3Wbms
— Casey Holdahl (@CHold) January 18, 2024

More from Yahoo!:

"The fact that this effort apparently lasted for hours is what really makes this situation bizarre. Ayton is 7 feet tall, one of the most athletic people on the planet, with the full resources of a billion-dollar NBA team behind him, a full day-plus of warning and hours to get stuff done ... and he just couldn't get on the road," wrote Jack Baer.

"Jokes aside, though, driving through ice is dangerous, and it would absolutely be a bad idea to force this if the road conditions really were that bad."

The internet, of course, had a field day with the ice.

Ayton explaining why he couldn't make it to the game tonight pic.twitter.com/heb0G4DguU
— sreekar (@sreekyshooter) January 18, 2024

Deandre Ayton at home before the Trail Blazers game: pic.twitter.com/3S9l6sWsV3
— boredjesse (@boredjesse) January 18, 2024

I realize Ayton couldn't drive to the game, but perhaps he could have done several spin moves, each taking him slightly further from the rim to the game.
— ian karmel (@IanKarmel) January 18, 2024

This season, Ayton is averaging 13.1 points, 10.8 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.2 steals per night for Portland.