The Suns’ newly announced preseason slate will test Deandre Ayton

It wasn’t long ago that Deandre Ayton was dominating his first preseason, turning heads around the league, and looking like a force of nature.

But that was just the preseason. Ayton turned in an impressive rookie season, but it was nowhere near the beat-down he gave the handful of teams the Suns faced in early October.

The same test will face him in this year’s preseason. The Suns announced their preseason schedule on Monday, and the four teams they face will each challenge Ayton uniquely.

The Trail Blazers were an obvious choice — Phoenix for some reason play them in the preseason every year.