Ayton, who turns 24 on July 23, was a restricted free agent after failing to sign an extension with Phoenix last summer. He averaged 17.2 points and 10.2 rebounds per game for the Suns last season, helping the team finish the regular season with the best record in the NBA. Signing Ayton should have some major ripple effects around the league, as he’s been mentioned frequently as a potential trade chip in a Kevin Durant trade while the Pacers are still looking for an upgrade at center. Here’s a quick breakdown of what Ayton’s signing means for the Suns, Nets and Pacers.
Phoenix brings it back…for now
Even after an ignominious Game 7 loss to the Mavericks, the Suns bring back most of a roster that won 64 games in 2021–22. Phoenix’s starting five should be the same for the third straight season with Ayton in tow and key bench contributors like Cameron Payne and Cam Johnson stuck around as well. On the surface, keeping the core of the franchise’s best team together is a no-brainer. As bad as Phoenix’s loss in Game 7 was, there is enough evidence to believe this team can compete for a title in a loaded West. On the court, Ayton fits perfectly with Chris Paul and Devin Booker. He is versatile on both ends of the floor and is improving as both an offensive scorer and team defender. And he should continue to develop as a player as he enters his prime, particularly as he plays at higher stakes in the postseason. Financial commitment is also a good sign. With Ayton’s return, as it is now constructed, the Suns will pay the luxury tax for the first time since 2009, a nameplate ownership is willing to foot the bill required to win a title. Off the court, Phoenix’s extended song and dance with Ayton was awkward at best. By extending him last season, the Suns effectively avoided giving Ayton a five-year contract worth even more per year, forcing him to find an outside offer. Was this worth whatever effect it had on team chemistry? Ayton barely played in the second half of that Game 7 loss to Dallas, with Monty Williams calling it strictly an “internal” issue after the game. While Phoenix was quick enough to respond to Ayton’s offer, it didn’t exactly make him feel wanted last year. It’s a strange tactic to use a former No. 1 who has become a key cog in a title contender, especially when he has room to grow. Relations seemed strained in Phoenix by the end of the season. Aligning everyone’s motivations before the title chase will equate this team’s success to what happens between two baskets. Bottom line: The Suns will have a very high floor as long as Ayton, Booker and Paul play together. But don’t be shocked if Ayton’s name pops up in trade rumors at some point during this contract.
Kevin Durant’s options are dwindling
It just got a lot harder for Durant to join the Suns. Brad Penner/USA TODAY Sports
Speaking of trades, a Kevin Durant-Phoenix deal is much less likely after the Ayton signing. Even if the Nets were reportedly cool with Ayton as a player — be it a true stop or a draft pick — a sign-and-trade involving him made a lot of sense in Durant’s hypothetical. Because the Suns matched an offer sheet for Ayton, he cannot be traded until Jan. 15 at the earliest and can veto any trade in the first year of his deal. That means he can’t be traded this summer, and if he’s shipped to a third team in your favorite fake Durant trade, Ayton can get over it with the snap of a finger. (I like to think trades are officially vetoed Dikembe Mutombo style.) Scroll to continue It’s not impossible for the Suns to trade Durant now, but it becomes much more difficult without being able to get Ayton involved. If the signing knocks Phoenix out of the running for Durant, now KD has one less team on his list of possible destinations. Maybe that will help a team like the Heat. Or maybe it encourages a small-market team like the Grizzlies. Or maybe he convinces the Nets to bring back Durant, which might have ramifications for Kyrie Irving, which might have ramifications for what the Lakers do this summer. I was serious about this being a big domino! With a major team taking a step back in the Durant sweepstakes, the Nets may have a little more leverage in trying to bring Durant back for another season or generate stronger offers from teams not on KD’s wish list. Durant’s status will likely continue to linger for the foreseeable future, but his chances of landing with the Suns appear to be taking a serious hit.
So Miles Turner?
The Pacers don’t seem to see Turner as their long-term solution at center. Pool photo/USA TODAY Sports
The Pacers pulled Ayton for a fireside chat despite already being linked to a center in Myles Turner, and now the team must once again figure out what to do with its frontcourt. Turner has been in trade rumors for years, but he can’t get excited. Last season, Indiana seemed to make a half-hearted commitment to Turner in a trade for Domantas Sabonis. Turner appeared excited about the prospect of a bigger role with the team, so he’s probably not ecstatic that the front office tried to replace him. Turner is entering the final year of a deal that pays him $17.5 million, and I’d be surprised if he ended this season with Indy. The Pacers eventually moved Malcolm Brogdon for a pittance, and I could see them eventually doing the same for Turner to at least get something in return. It’s clear that Indy doesn’t see Turner as its long-term solution at center, and now he could enter training camp as a backup option at his position. The team will likely offer some sort of support to Turner publicly at some point in the wake of the Ayton controversy. Still, it’s hard to imagine that Turner isn’t somehow even more available than he was before this summer. Watch NBA Live with fuboTV: Start a 7-Day Trial Today! More NBA coverage:
