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Phoenix Suns star Mikal Bridges has apologized for his change with teammate Deandre Ayton towards the tip of Phoenix’s 113-110 loss to the Washington Wizards on Tuesday.
“To try this, I really feel prefer it was embarrassment on simply DA’s half as a result of I am simply going at him like that,” he told reporters Friday. “It messed me up. It was f–ked up on my finish, and I apologized to him and the staff after for it.”
Bridges added he and Ayton have had comparable arguments earlier than that they rapidly moved on from.
Kellan Olson @KellanOlson
Bridges mentioned there are varieties of gamers who will name out others on the court docket in entrance of everybody for present and he is the final man who would try this. He mentioned he ought to have saved it for the huddle or elsewhere and he by no means needs to place one among his brothers in that state of affairs.
Wizards ahead Deni Avdija was capturing free throws with slightly greater than a minute left within the sport when things grew tense between Bridges and Ayton. Wizards star Bradley Beal appeared to clap sarcastically whereas watching the state of affairs unfold.
For some, it pointed to greater points throughout the franchise.
All gave the impression to be nicely in Phoenix when the staff acquired out to a 15-6 begin and was sitting first within the Western Convention initially of December. Monty Williams’ squad has since gone 4-7 and fallen to fourth within the standings.
That Ayton was concerned within the argument additionally meant rehashing the drama that preceded his signing a four-year, $132.9 million contract in July. His relationship with the Suns was strained popping out of the 2022 playoffs, and agreeing to a proposal sheet with the Indiana Pacers spoke for itself.
When a staff considers a participant a franchise cornerstone, it usually proactively presents a max contract relatively than ready for the participant to get it elsewhere.
One byproduct of permitting the state of affairs with Ayton to fester is that moments like his argument with Bridges can get blown out of proportion.
Tensions are certain to be excessive whenever you path a staff that’s about to interrupt a 10-game shedding streak. This wasn’t even the testiest exchange between members of a Phoenix basketball staff throughout the previous yr both.
Over the subsequent week, the Suns play the Memphis Grizzlies twice, face off with the Denver Nuggets on Christmas Day and have a rematch with the Wizards. That stretch presents Williams and his gamers with an important alternative to indicate all is nicely with the Suns.
