Aron Baynes has been one of the surprise packets of the NBA season so far, becoming a key piece for the Phoenix Suns and their start to the season.
Coming from the Celtics, the Aussie has averaged 15 points per game, six rebounds and is shooting 47 per cent from three-point range.
Boston coach Brad Stevens spent multiple years working with Baynes and spoke glowingly about how far he has come.
“First time I worked him out he was 30-of-34 from two, and that was like the summer we got him,” Stevens said before today’s game.
“I’ll never forget after that saying, ‘let’s try to start in the corners and work your way out’.
“It was so fun, because he missed like his first 12 that year, or first 14, but then we played Toronto in a game in April I think, and (Jonas) Valanciunas was way back and Baynes hit a couple. And once the lid came off, then he hit a couple in the Playoffs in the first series, and a bunch against Philly with (Joel) Embiid way back.”
His incredible shooting from deep is well above the NBA average, but Stevens said Baynes brings much more to the table.
“I thought that he probably was – with the way that he came into work every day, with the energy that he brought, his commitment to getting better himself and his commitment to holding everybody else to that standard – he was a great leader here and you can see that that has been the case in Phoenix,” Stevens said.
“He’s just a total energy-raiser. He doesn’t have a down day from an energy standpoint. Ever. And I think that that has a contagious effect, and you can see that with the way they play.”
Baynes’ Phoenix went down to Boston 99-85 this afternoon. The centre scored nine points in 26 minutes and finished with six rebounds and five assists.
Jayson Tatum top-scored with 26, while Devin Booker dropped 20.