The Phoenix head coach downplayed the center's comments.
DeAndre Ayton is back with the Suns this year despite signing an offer sheet with the Pacers in the offseason, but the center and the organization still don’t seem aligned. Specifically, Ayton and head coach Monty Williams may not be seeing eye-to-eye after what happened in the Suns’ Game 7 loss to Dallas last year.
On Tuesday, Ayton said that he and Williams haven’t had a conversation since the last game of the season.
“I haven’t spoken to Monty, I haven’t spoken to him at all ever since the game,” Ayton said.
When asked whether he is still happy playing in Phoenix, Ayton mentioned how he is focusing on working and representing the organization well.
“I’m alright,” he said. “When I’m in between those lines now I just work. I’m not playing for myself, I have an organization across my chest and a name on my back I have to represent and I’m just here to work.”
Shortly after Ayton spoke, Williams said he doesn’t believe it’s a big deal he and Ayton haven’t spoken since that is the case with many guys.
“There’s a number of guys I haven’t talked to,” Williams said. “I think when you’ve been around a group as much as we have the last three years, the first year, the bubble, condensed seasons, I felt like guys needed a break.”
Williams doesn’t believe he needs to have a unique conversation with Ayton, while Ayton would prefer to let his basketball play do the talking rather than speaking.
“I can show him better than I can tell him,” Ayton said.
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