Deandre Ayton Left Out of Top-Ten Big Man Rankings

If Phoenix Suns center Deandre Ayton isn't playing like a top ten big man in the league, he sure is getting paid like one.

Ayton has answered critics of his offseason saga with fairly impressive play in the limited minutes of preseason action he's seen. A clear shift in attitude also suggests he means business on the court after handling business away from it over the summer.

Now, freshly paid and ready to put the past behind him, Ayton is out to prove he's worth every penny and mention of praise to his name.

In Bleacher Report's Top 25 big man rankings, (PF and C), Ayton finds himself at No. 11, staring from the outside into the top ten:

Deandre Ayton Left Out of Top Ten in Big Man Rankings

11. DeAndre Ayton

"Deandre Ayton is one of the best two-way centers in the league. He protects the basket without fouling and can score efficiently in the post against some of the top defenders in the league," said Eric Pincus.

"The Phoenix Suns don't always prioritize getting Ayton the ball, and his contract saga over the last year seemed to fracture chemistry. But if the Suns can get their groove back, Ayton's importance cannot be understated."

Here's the ten players Ayton fell behind:

10. Evan Mobley

9. Bam Adebayo

8. Pascal Siakam

7. Zion Williamson

6. Rudy Gobert

5. Anthony Davis

4. Karl-Anthony Towns

3. Joel Embiid

2. Nikola Jokic

1. Giannis Antetokounmpo

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