Getty New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson is defended by Deandre Ayton of the Phoenix Suns.
The beginning of the NBA free agency period is just mere days away, and the Phoenix Suns will have a challenging task on their hands in trying to build around their All-Star trio of Bradley Beal, Devin Booker, and Kevin Durant. With minimum cap space to work with, they will likely be forced to pick from a group of ring-chasing veterans.
There was speculation that the Suns might dangle their starting big man Deandre Ayton as trade bait to land one or two serviceable role players to assist their main cast members. However, per NBA insider Chris B. Haynes of Bleacher Report, the Suns are no longer shopping their star big man on the trade market and intend to “move forward” with him as a member of their roster.
“Phoenix Suns are moving forward with the plan of keeping Deandre Ayton to play alongside Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, and Bradley Beal,” Haynes tweeted on June 25.
Suns Tried to Trade Deandre Ayton to Sixers
A recent report from Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer suggested that the Suns offered Ayton to the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for Tobias Harris, but Sixers’ general manager Darryl Morey did not budge. When the Sixers shut down their offer, the Suns upped the stakes and asked Philadelphia to get a third team involved, which they vehemently denied.
“The Sixers have no interest in the 7-foot, 250-pounder with three years and $102 million left on his contract. And why would they when franchise player and reigning MVP Joel Embiid, like Ayton, plays center? The Sixers also do not have any interest in any of the players the Suns would make available,” Pompey said of Ayton.
“So, Phoenix wants the Sixers to get a third team involved to facilitate the deal, according to a source. However, the Sixers are unwilling to do so.”
Can Deandre Ayton Work With New Look Suns?
One has to wonder if the Suns’ decision to “move forward” with Ayton is because they want him on the team or if they have just given up on trying to trade him. Is it just a coincidence that the Suns have completed two blockbuster trades in the last five months, and Ayton remains a member of the Suns’ roster? Even though Phoenix has been actively shopping him since being eliminated from the playoffs.
Or is it more likely that teams do not want Ayton on their roster, even though he is still a 7-footer and just 24 years old? When Ayton is actively engaged, he is still one of the best centers in the NBA. But there are times when he is disengaged, and everything unravels for him. It is one of the reasons that Monty Williams had him split the minutes at the five spot with undrafted center Jock Landale in the playoffs.
But maybe Williams being on the outskirts and a championship-winning head coach in Frank Vogel coming in to take his place could be just what Ayton needs to ensure he reaches an elite level. With a huge season coming up, the Suns will need him to play at his highest level. It will be interesting to see if he can get it done.
