Deandre Ayton Likely to Depart Suns; Spurs 'Strong Fit'
The Phoenix Suns and Deandre Ayton appear primed for a split in the offseason. After being eliminated by the Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference semifinals, Ayton has emerged as one of the hottest names to watch ahead of free agency.
There was hesitancy from the Suns to agree to a max contract extension with Ayton before the 2021-22 season. Phoenix won 64 games this season and appeared primed to look foolish for that decision. Ayton's play underwhelmed against the Mavericks and his effort level was called into question.
Given Ayton will be a restricted free agent this offseason, the Suns would require a sign-and-trade to recoup value if they were to part ways. Teams like the San Antonio Spurs, Detroit Pistons, and Portland Trail Blazers have been commonly linked as suitors.
Former NBA executive and current member of The Athletic, John Hollinger, recently stated he's heard "it's more likely than not" that Ayton will be playing for a team other than the Suns next season.
Hollinger highlighted the Trail Blazers and Spurs as the best fits for Ayton considering the Pistons' lack of intriguing trade assets. Jakob Poeltl and Keldon Johnson were identified as potential options to include in a sign-and-trade deal with the Suns.
If not the Pistons, the other two strong fits I see for Ayton are in Portland and San Antonio. Portland, again, would almost certainly be through a sign-and-trade given the Blazers’ current cap situation; the Spurs have the cap room to sign Ayton outright but a sign-and-trade — for, say, Jakob Poeltl and Keldon Johnson — would seem a more likely endgame.
For any team seeking to acquire Ayton, it's going to require a major investment. Doing so will not only likely require paying Ayton a max contract, but will also need a major trade package in order to entice the Suns to not just simply match the offer sheet.
Ayton is an impactful rim protector coming off a season with averages of 17.2 points and 10.2 rebounds without being a featured threat in the Suns' offense. There will be plenty of teams interested in acquiring him as a result.
If the Spurs were to part with the necessary trade assets required to acquire Ayton, they'd need to be confident in their team's outlook after such a deal. Coming off a season finishing 10th in the Western Conference, they still would need more talent before emerging as a contender.
You can follow Grant Afseth on Twitter at @GrantAfseth.
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