Report: Booker, Ayton exchange words as frustration grows with Suns

With the Phoenix Suns appearing to be headed for a fourth straight season with a sub-.300 winning percentage, frustration is definitely mounting in the desert. And according to a report by the Arizona Republic's Duane Rankin, that frustration may be reaching new heights. After scoring just nine first-quarter points for the second straight game and suffering their seventh loss in a row, the Suns on Thursday night saw their two most high-profile players exchange emotional words to cap a night full of them. According to Rankin, "After the game, Phoenix?s top two players, Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton, exchanged words after the 10-minute cooling off period as members of the media entered the visiting locker room for the tail end of that conversation." They have had animated conversations on the court when discussing plays but, according to Rankin, "this felt different." ?I?m an emotional guy, too,? Ayton told Rankin. ?I start to feel stuff. When I don?t sense it and the energy is not there, that?s when you start to hear my mouth. I don?t care who it is. Nineteen-year vet or 15 years, it don?t matter. We all have a job to do and I have to step it up a little more, too.? According to the report, rookie Mikal Bridges and coach Igor Kokoskov were visibly upset with each other at the end of the third quarter. Video from the telecast showed Kokoskov trying to talk to Bridges and the rookie trying to walk away. But Kokoskov would not let him, constantly staying in front of Bridges' face as he tried to talk to him. When asked by a reporter what the conversations on the bench were like when the Suns were down 25 after the first quarter, veteran player Trevor Ariza reportedly replied, ?How long have you been around basketball? ? So what do you think the conversation would be like after that?" After the reporter responded, "Probably not very positive," Ariza summed the situation up. ?Exactly. Not too happy, but again, that?s on us for not playing hard.? The 108-86 loss to the Trail Blazers at Portland dropped the Suns to 4-21. --Field Level Media