"Making $100 mill & sleeping on air mattress?" - Deandre Ayton faces fans' wrath for excuse for struggling on Blazers

Portland Trail Blazers big man Deandre Ayton started to pick up his game after the All-Star break. During the first half of the season, he was often criticized by fans for being passive. This time, Ayton gave a reason as to why he struggled early in the season.

Moving to a different team has never been easy for any player. Aside from learning a new system and getting to know new teammates, their routines tend to change, especially if they've already established their lifestyle before the trade. That's exactly what Ayton had to deal with when he moved to Portland.

According to the former Arizona center, there was a logical reason for his struggles early in the season. Ayton said that sleeping on an air mattress contributed to his struggles.

"My body wasn’t just my body. People forget the humane difference of me adjusting to everything. That included something as routine as getting proper sleep, just being comfortable in waking up. I didn’t have a bed for quite some time. I was on an air mattress, just trying to figure this out," Ayton reasoned.

Fans, however, saw it as a lame excuse for not performing well on the court. They didn't hold back in criticizing Ayton and shared their thoughts on social media. Here are some of what the fans had to say.

His excuse doesn't matter anymore as no one expected major things from the Blazers this season anyway. Ayton and the team's young core have the next season to show how well they've developed.

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Deandre Ayton shares personal struggles led to him struggling on the court

At the start of the season, many expected Deandre Ayton to be the leader for the Blazers. After Damian Lillard was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks, as well as other prominent role players during the Lillard era, fans expected to have Ayton as the team's new leader.

However, this proved to be a demanding task for the big man. Early in the season, he wasn't quite himself, missing 12 straight games. According to Ayton, he struggled to adjust to the new city, injuries and personal struggles that led him to underperform during the first half of the 2023-24 season.

"I got all the money in the world but at the same time, some of this is inhumane, where money don’t matter, just having your people around and the support you need," Ayton said during a guest appearance on the Blazers Focused Podcast.

It looks like Ayton adjusted well in the city and is back to his usual self. The future of the Blazers looks bright with him at the center spot.

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