Ayton (ribs) played in all four of The Bahamas' FIBA Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournament games in Argentina last week, averaging 15.5 points, 13.8 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.3 steals and 0.8 blocks in 29.9 minutes per contest.
Playing alongside fellow NBA veterans Buddy Hield and Eric Gordon, Ayton guided The Bahamas to a 4-0 record en route to winning the tournament and sending the island nation into another tournament next July that would give it a chance to qualify for its first Olympic berth at the 2024 Summer Games in Paris. After concluding the tournament with 10 points and 21 rebounds in The Bahamas' upset win over tournament host Argentina on Sunday, Ayton looks to be fully healthy again after a rib contusion kept him out for the Suns' season-ending loss May 11 to the Nuggets in Game 6 of the Western Conference Semifinals. Though multiple reports indicated that the Suns had been exploring trades for Ayton this offseason, the 25-year-old center looks set to stay in Phoenix for his sixth NBA season, with the team hoping that he proves to be a better fit under new head coach Frank Vogel than predecessor Monty Williams.