Suns Send Deandre Ayton to Wizards in Mock Trade
Trade buzz around Phoenix Suns center Deandre Ayton probably won't ever stop.
Ayton arrived in the Valley with prime expectations to form a modern day Kobe-Shaq duo with guard Devin Booker, though only Booker has held his end of the bargain.
Ayton - the team's first and only No. 1 pick - has failed to display the same level of dominance he showed at the college level.
With Phoenix all in on a championship within the next couple years, debates will continue to be wagered on whether or not Ayton was a piece to that puzzle.
This offseason, the Suns decided to again keep Ayton just one year after matching the Indiana Pacers' offer sheet for him in restricted free agency.
Ayton was the obvious choice in Bleacher Report's "one trade idea for every team piece" as the Suns do business with a familiar team.
Suns Send Deandre Ayton to Warriors in Mock Trade
Trade idea: Deandre Ayton and Damion Lee to the Washington Wizards for Tyus Jones, Daniel Gafford and Delon Wright
"While the Suns reportedly plan on keeping Ayton, per B/R's Chris Haynes, that hardly feels like a permanent stance. Their financial future will be tricky to navigate with four huge contracts on the books, and Ayton's seems the likeliest to shed. His offensive role has never expanded the way you'd expect for a player of his draft pedigree, and he's been benched in some of Phoenix's biggest playoff moments of late," wrote Zach Buckley.
"The fact he seems expendable won't help his trade value, which is reflected in the incoming package here. This probably isn't the robust offer you might expect to see for a 25-year-old who was the No. 1 pick in 2018 and has averaged a double-double through each of his five NBA seasons.
"Still, the top-heavy Suns could see value in turning Ayton and a shooting specialist in Lee into three rotation options, two of whom could start.
"Jones' passing could make this offense even more explosive, and Gafford's close-range finishing might be all Phoenix needs from its center spot. Wright could wind up with a sizable role as well since he's a versatile defender who can create scoring chances for others and attack in transition."
New head coach Frank Vogel has been adamant he wants to maximize Ayton.
“I’m off to a great start with him from a relationship standpoint, in terms of understanding that if we want him to defend and rebound at an All-Star level, then we’re going to have to involve him a little more in the offense. That’s just basketball 101. You learn that as a youngster,” Vogel said to Sirius XM NBA Radio earlier in the offseason.
“You got to give those big guys the ball sometimes. When they get it, then they’ll run through the wall for you on the other end. I think we’re off to a great start with that - he’s going to be a big part of what we do.”
Training camp will ramp up in just a few weeks for the Suns with their first preseason game set for Oct. 8 against the Detroit Pistons.
