The Phoenix Suns were interested in extending their recent No.1 overall draft pick, Deandre Ayton, on a max contract worth $172.5 million over five years but he decided not to sign it after some confusion with his teammate’s name and the NBA rulebook.
Deandre Ayton’s Own Suns Teammate Might Be Responsible For Him Not Getting a $172.5 Million Max Extension.
The Phoenix Suns are hesitating to sign center Deandre Ayton to a contract extension, despite the fact that they are coming off their first NBA Finals appearance in 28 years.
After the future Hall of Fame point guard imprinted his fingerprints all over Phoenix’s journey to the Finals, the Suns took the fairly obvious decision to negotiate a new deal with him. Given his excellent postseason performance, it seemed likely that the Suns would attempt to sign Ayton to a rookie contract.
An extension for Ayton, on the other hand, does not seem to be in the cards. That might be because the Suns are considering making a large offer to one of his colleagues.
Deandre Ayton’s contract negotiations with the Suns have “stalled.”
Sources at ESPN: The Phoenix Suns’ refusal to give former No. 1 overall selection Deandre Ayton a maximum rookie contract extension has stymied talks: https://t.co/8WottY6jYf
October 5, 2021 — Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn)
Several members of the 2018 NBA Draft class, including Luka Doncic, Trae Young, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, John Collins, and Michael Porter Jr., signed rookie extensions this summer. However, no deal has been reached for the No. 1 selection in that draft.
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Suns are “reluctant” to sign Deandre Ayton to a rookie-scale contract, resulting in a stalemate in talks between the two parties. Ayton is eligible for a five-year, $172.5 million deal, but according to Wojnarowski, there’s a good chance Phoenix won’t sign him before the rookie extension deadline on Oct. 18.
Ayton was fantastic in his part. With the addition of Chris Paul, the former Arizona product saw his scoring dip this season, but he still averaged 14.4 points and 10.5 rebounds while shooting a career-high 62.6 percent from the floor. In the playoffs, Ayton increased his output, averaging 15.8 points and 11.8 rebounds on 65.8% shooting.
As a rim runner and a player who travels the floor looking for chances, the 23-year-old offers the Suns an important inside presence. Ayton does an excellent job on the offensive boards and continues to improve his low-post and mid-range scoring abilities. As Phoenix attempts to create a long-term winner, he seems to be an essential component of the jigsaw.
The Suns, on the other hand, seem to be becoming more selective about who they give large money to, and another member of Ayton’s draft class is pressing his case for a huge deal.
Mikal Bridges’ re-signing may be a top priority for the Suns.
Suns swingman Mikal Bridges, like Deandre Ayton, is a 2018 NBA Draft class member who is eligible for a rookie-scale contract. If he does not sign by the Oct. 18 deadline, he will be a restricted free agent next summer.
It’s conceivable that the Suns are withholding payment to Ayton because they believe Bridges is the franchise’s most valuable player.
Bridges showed a significant improvement in his third season. The former Villanova standout averaged 13.5 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 2.1 assists while shooting 54.3 percent from the field and 42.5 percent from beyond the arc. Because of his position on the opposite end of the floor, his offensive development is critical.
Bridges has established himself as one of the NBA’s top young wing defenders. He is a threat in the passing lanes and regularly takes on the most difficult individual defensive assignments.
The 25-year-old relieves Devin Booker of some of his responsibilities, allowing CP3 to be more aggressive as a help defender and rover. He’s the driving force behind a Suns defense that finished ninth in the league in defensive rating last season. Mikal Bridges’ offensive improvements are promising, and his significance to the Suns’ team defense may be enough for them to choose him over Ayton.
Some basketball fans may be thinking, “Why not sign both?” at this point. It’s essential to keep in mind who owns the majority of the Phoenix Suns.
Robert Sarver, the governor of the Phoenix Suns, dislikes spending money.
On June 22, 2021, in Phoenix, Arizona, Deandre Ayton and Mikal Bridges celebrate their 104-103 victory against the Los Angeles Clippers in Game 2 of the NBA Western Conference Finals | Getty Images/Christian Petersen
The Suns are paying Chris Paul and Devin Booker a good deal now that their contracts have been extended until at least summer 2023. Their governor may prefer not to spend too much money on the other young people.
Robert Sarver is known for being a frugal businessman. He mainly wanted to recover $3 million by trading the No. 7 selection in the 2004 NBA Draft, which ended up becoming Luol Deng. Yes, Sarver approved the exchange of a top-10 selection for cash. A similar scenario arose a few summers ago, when the Phoenix Suns traded T.J. Warren and the No. 32 selection for… financial considerations.
Sarver even said earlier this summer that if Paul chose to opt out, the Suns may not be able to re-sign him. CP3 was, of course, re-signed by Phoenix. But Sarver’s cryptic remarks (h/t Kellan Olson of 98.7 FM Arizona Sports) hinted at his aversion to large spending.
So, if Sarver despises overspending and the Suns have two young players they should consider re-signing, is it too much to assume Phoenix is holding its cards and determining which is more important to the team’s future?
Deandre Ayton is most likely due for a rookie contract extension. However, the Suns’ hesitancy in making a large offer may be a factor in Mikal Bridges’ limited free agency, as well as the team’s own cheapness.
Basketball Reference provided the statistics.
Deandre Ayton Spent Over $7,000 on New Clothes Before His Phoenix Suns Career Officially Began: RELATED: Deandre Ayton Spent Over $7,000 on New Clothes Before His Phoenix Suns Career Officially Began: ‘I’m all in if that’s what it takes to look good in the NBA.’
The “chris paul” is a story that was published on ESPN.com where Deandre Ayton’s own Suns teammate might be responsible for him not getting a $172.5 million max extension.
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