Would Pistons Break the Bank for Deandre Ayton?
When it comes to millions of dollars, everybody is willing to throw their two cents in.
Phoenix Suns center Deandre Ayton has his sights set on a max deal this offseason, and most NBA insiders believe he'll receive it.
The only question, really, is which team will fork over the money.
The Suns ultimately control Ayton's destiny thanks to his status as a restricted free agent. Ayton could sign a cheaper, one-year qualifying offer that would make him an unrestricted free agent next year, but that route seems very unlikely.
Phoenix will have the ability to match any offer given to Ayton despite the player's ability to seek other teams out on the market.
One of the rumored teams interested in Ayton are the Detroit Pistons, a young squad with potential to sign an expensive player of his stature in hopes of making a push in the playoffs sooner rather than later.
The Athletic's James L. Edwards III recently compiled a Pistons mailbag and briefly touched on the possibility of adding Ayton among other names like Collin Sexton and Mitchell Robinson.
Edwards believes Ayton is one of the top free agents available, but the Pistons may opt for cheaper avenues.
"Ayton, obviously, is the best of this group. I do think Detroit will do its due diligence and go after Ayton at a reasonable price, but I don’t get the sense the Pistons will break the bank for him. Weaver and Co. will do their homework. The background noise on Ayton hasn’t been great over the past month," said Edwards.
"Robinson, to me, is the most realistic of these three names. He’ll be the cheapest and would fill a void on the roster. I’m sure Detroit will have real competition for his services, but Robinson makes the most sense from a financial and roster standpoint. As for Sexton, I think it depends on the price, much like with Ayton. I don’t see the Pistons breaking the bank for an undersized guard who is a below-average defender and isn’t necessarily the greatest playmaker for others.
"With that said, Detroit can really use another guy who can create his own shots and score in bunches. Sexton does that. If the price is right, I could see it happening. Again, though, I don’t think the Pistons go above and beyond for Sexton."
That's been the great debate when it comes to Ayton. The athletic profile, youth and upside are certainly there, hence why so many teams are "interested" in the Suns' center.
However, are there better ways to build around a team? Is Ayton worth the potential price tag he comes with? What's a "reasonable" price
Those questions will be answered in due time, yet Detroit may just take a different avenue when it comes to adding a presence in the paint.
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