On Wednesday, former no. 1 overall pick DeAndre Ayton will clear waivers and be eligible to sign with any team. The Wizards need to stay as far away from “DominAyton” as possible.
If presented with the opportunity to sign Ayton, the pre-Winger/Dawkins Wizards front office would have done a backflip, sprinted up and down F St., and then handed Ayton eight figures more than any other team did.
I sincerely doubt this Wizards front office could ever be so rash. Someone out there will delude themselves into Ayton on paper, as his resume indicates he could be a productive player. (Probably the Lakers).
Ayton was recently bought out by the Portland Trail Blazers, who decided they would rather pay him to just go away rather than to play in their crowded frontcourt rotation. He was selected no. 1 overall in 2018 (above Luka Doncic) and was the starting center on the Phoenix Suns when they made the 2021 NBA Finals.
Ayton’s productivity in Phoenix can largely be chalked up to two words: Chris Paul. Playing alongside Paul is a cheat code for centers — remember, DeAndre Jordan cracked the All-NBA First team in 2016 playing alongside Paul.
For his career, Ayton averages 16 points and 11 rebounds per game. Those solid if unspectacular numbers mask some fundamental flaws with Ayton’s game that at this point are too deeply ingrained to fix.
Ayton is an athletic specimen but has perhaps the lowest motor in the entire NBA. He puts zero effort into protecting the rim, boxing out, or the concept of offense as a whole. He takes what’s given to him, and that’s about it.
Ayton's defensive DPM since signing his max contract pic.twitter.com/YRdCz2dKMP
— James Plowright (@British_Buzz) June 30, 2025
Do not be deluded into inevitable headlines like “Should the Wizards sign this former first overall pick” or anything raving about the “potential” of this “young player.” Ayton is going into his eighth NBA season — he’s a finished product, and whatever team signs him is signing up for a serviceable center who is fine getting cooked on defense.
I recently wrote about other former top picks that have recently become available that the Wizards need to stay away from, namely James Wiseman and Jalen Green. Essentially, if the lone draw of a player is that they were selected high in the draft, that is a waste of time and energy of a signing.
Some team will pay Ayton. The Wizards cannot afford to be that team.