Deandre Ayton's future with the Suns?

[INFORMER]

So here is the problem: Monty has no desire to feature Ayton in the offense. And yes, Ayton has contributed to his own underachieving, but at the end of the day, unless the Suns brass is going to undergo a monumental shift in philosophy, it just doesn't make sense to make a max or near max investment in Ayton.

[Flagrant Fowl]

Com'on man, we've been saying that here for like two months.

[Flagrant Fowl]

I'm curious to see if Ayton keeps his agent if he doesn't receive the max contract that has supposedly been on the table from several teams.

[Indy]

I'm curious to see if Ayton keeps his agent if he doesn't receive the max contract that has supposedly been on the table from several teams.

Just think if he would have accepted the exact same "max" contract last year from the Suns...

[INFORMER]

Com'on man, we've been saying that here for like two months.

[Shabazz]

Maybe Ayton is simply not a max player. Lots of people argued that he’s a max player if the market says he’s a max player, but it doesn’t seem like any team is running to clear space to offer him the max. If it was such a no-brainer you think you’d have multiple teams lining up for the ability to pay him.

[carey]

Maybe Ayton is simply not a max player. Lots of people argued that he’s a max player if the market says he’s a max player, but it doesn’t seem like any team is running to clear space to offer him the max. If it was such a no-brainer you think you’d have multiple teams lining up for the ability to pay him.

Good point. The money isn't there. There really isn't any heat on him as a FA target from what I have seen.

[JeremyG]

Maybe Ayton is simply not a max player. Lots of people argued that he’s a max player if the market says he’s a max player, but it doesn’t seem like any team is running to clear space to offer him the max. If it was such a no-brainer you think you’d have multiple teams lining up for the ability to pay him.

"I think what Phoenix and Deandre Ayton would prefer is the Suns would get some assets from a team whether it's draft picks or players or cap space," said Adrian Wojnarowski. "And Deandre Ayton gets his max contract elsewhere. That can all start moving tomorrow at 6 PM Eastern. I think there's several landing spots for Deandre Ayton on a max contract and those conversations can commence.

https://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap-a ... -Offer-Max

Teams are gearing up for a sign-and-trade scenario involving Ayton, per @Adrian Wojnarowski. “There’s max money out in the marketplace for Deandre Ayton.”

https://sports.yahoo.com/suns-reluctant ... 28937.html

[JeremyG]

Oh and did you catch that first quote? Suns would prefer “CAP SPACE” (for a luxury tax team!) over keeping Ayton! Is Mr. Space going to help us get past the Warriors?

Same old cheap Sarver Suns.

[INFORMER]

Is Mr. Space going to help us get past the Warriors?

DeAndre Ayton isn't helping us get past the Warriors.

[sunset rubdown]

Oh and did you catch that first quote? Suns would prefer “CAP SPACE” (for a luxury tax team!) over keeping Ayton! Is Mr. Space going to help us get past the Warriors?

Same old cheap Sarver Suns.

From title contender to play-in place in one year. Hell yeah! Such a mastermind by James Jones and Monty Williams.

[sunset rubdown]

Is Mr. Space going to help us get past the Warriors?

DeAndre Ayton isn't helping us get past the Warriors.

So, just because DA isn't helping us get past the Warriors (maybe yes, maybe not, we don't know that yet) let's gift a top 5 NBA C to other franchise and downgrade our team to fight for a spot in play-in.

[INFORMER]

Well I'm not on the "we'll be nothing more than a play-in game team" bandwagon that is quickly picking up steam, but I do think the situation is more nuanced than either/or.

When you are making decisions about how much to invest in this group, I think you have to ask yourself what are you preserving. Personally, I take the last two years and see a team that is headed in wrong direction. That doesn't motivate me to want to invest $30 million in payroll to keep it together.

So when I see statements along the lines of "how can we not bring back Ayton?! We'll never beat the Warriors without him!" - I don't think we're beating the Warriors with him. And for me, it isn't just about the Warriors. I see the NBA catching up with and passing by the Suns. And that concerns me. And I don't think an MLE player there, and a Ja Crowder trade here, will move the needle enough to get us where we all want to go.

Ayton is getting a lot of the attention now because a decision on his future is upon us now. But of course, it isn't just Ayton where the issue lies. Our bench stinks. We don't have a reliable second scorer. CP3 is fading. There are a lot of leaks in this boat and it has started the slow descent to below water.

[sunset rubdown]

INF, if that's the case, us not beating Warriors, let's trade Booker also because he will be available for supermax very soon. Let's deal Booker and tank, just like Spurs did with Murray.

Seriously, I think Monty did a terrible job in this playoffs. Our bench was just fine season before and we upgraded backup C and he wasn't able to get 20% from Payne, Craig and rest of the bench.

Also, DA can be that second option on offense, in my opinion, he just needs more touches.

[virtual9mm]

If the Suns trade Ayton for a pu pu platter and cap space, I am done with the Suns.

[sunset rubdown]

If the Suns trade Ayton for a pu pu platter and cap space, I am done with the Suns.

I am the Suns' fan since '93 but probably won't watch my Suns with the same passion next season if that happens.

I am afraid we are going to treadmill for the next 5 years or so if we trade DA and after that we will tank for another 5 to 10 years. Brilliant.

[TOO]

Well I'm not on the "we'll be nothing more than a play-in game team" bandwagon that is quickly picking up steam, but I do think the situation is more nuanced than either/or.

When you are making decisions about how much to invest in this group, I think you have to ask yourself what are you preserving. Personally, I take the last two years and see a team that is headed in wrong direction. That doesn't motivate me to want to invest $30 million in payroll to keep it together.

So when I see statements along the lines of "how can we not bring back Ayton?! We'll never beat the Warriors without him!" - I don't think we're beating the Warriors with him. And for me, it isn't just about the Warriors. I see the NBA catching up with and passing by the Suns. And that concerns me. And I don't think an MLE player there, and a Ja Crowder trade here, will move the needle enough to get us where we all want to go.

Ayton is getting a lot of the attention now because a decision on his future is upon us now. But of course, it isn't just Ayton where the issue lies. Our bench stinks. We don't have a reliable second scorer. CP3 is fading. There are a lot of leaks in this boat and it has started the slow descent to below water.

This 100%. The Suns have peaked, it's only down from here.

[sunset rubdown]

Well I'm not on the "we'll be nothing more than a play-in game team" bandwagon that is quickly picking up steam, but I do think the situation is more nuanced than either/or.

When you are making decisions about how much to invest in this group, I think you have to ask yourself what are you preserving. Personally, I take the last two years and see a team that is headed in wrong direction. That doesn't motivate me to want to invest $30 million in payroll to keep it together.

So when I see statements along the lines of "how can we not bring back Ayton?! We'll never beat the Warriors without him!" - I don't think we're beating the Warriors with him. And for me, it isn't just about the Warriors. I see the NBA catching up with and passing by the Suns. And that concerns me. And I don't think an MLE player there, and a Ja Crowder trade here, will move the needle enough to get us where we all want to go.

Ayton is getting a lot of the attention now because a decision on his future is upon us now. But of course, it isn't just Ayton where the issue lies. Our bench stinks. We don't have a reliable second scorer. CP3 is fading. There are a lot of leaks in this boat and it has started the slow descent to below water.

This 100%. The Suns have peaked, it's only down from here.

We should trade Booker for pics then, if that logic is anything to go by, just like Spurs with Murray.

And no, I don't think Suns peaked, young core Booker - Ayton - Bridges is as good as it gets, for present and the future.

[Mori Chu]

I just don't buy the "this team has peaked" narrative. We had the best record in the history of the franchise last season. We went to the Finals the season before that. We had a rough out from the playoffs this year, partly due to a hidden COVID outbreak on the team right before Game 7. Why would you be so eager to give up on that team?

[JeremyG]

Well I'm not on the "we'll be nothing more than a play-in game team" bandwagon that is quickly picking up steam, but I do think the situation is more nuanced than either/or.

When you are making decisions about how much to invest in this group, I think you have to ask yourself what are you preserving. Personally, I take the last two years and see a team that is headed in wrong direction. That doesn't motivate me to want to invest $30 million in payroll to keep it together.

So when I see statements along the lines of "how can we not bring back Ayton?! We'll never beat the Warriors without him!" - I don't think we're beating the Warriors with him. And for me, it isn't just about the Warriors. I see the NBA catching up with and passing by the Suns. And that concerns me. And I don't think an MLE player there, and a Ja Crowder trade here, will move the needle enough to get us where we all want to go.

Ayton is getting a lot of the attention now because a decision on his future is upon us now. But of course, it isn't just Ayton where the issue lies. Our bench stinks. We don't have a reliable second scorer. CP3 is fading. There are a lot of leaks in this boat and it has started the slow descent to below water.

If all of that is true, then at least keep your young core together and build around them (Booker, Ayton, Bridges, Johnson). Keep that continuity and let them grow together!