The Phoenix Suns suffered next-level embarrassment when they lost their series against Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks. But now that they are eliminated, there are much more pressing matters to deal with.
At the top of the queue is the future of Deandre Ayton, who is currently not in good standing with the team. In a chat on SiriusXM NBA Radio, Ayton’s agent, Bill Duffy, confirmed that both he and his client are upset with how the Suns have handled contract negotiations:
“We’re disappointed. We wanted a max contract,” Duffy said, per Evan Sidery of Basketball News. “He went out and was a solider the whole year, played well, improved his statistics. So, we’re proud of him. A lot of guys handle things differently, but he was very mature about it. Things will work out for Deandre. He’s a valuable player. There’s other teams in the league as well. He’s a restricted free agent, so we’ll see how this process unfolds.”
Ayton is certainly not the best player on the Suns, nor is he on the same level as some of the players who were picked under him in the draft. Still, his game on both ends of the floor is elite and makes a big difference for Phoenix.
Some around the association, like Shaquille O’Neal, are pleading with the franchise to give the big man what he wants:
“The kid did it the respectful way,” O’Neal said. “Me, I’m different. OK, you’re not going to play me? Alright, don’t worry about it. He didn’t complain. He made one statement about it and he played and he played his tail off. Played like a true big man. Give that kid what he wants. You’ve got other people signed for four (years), $270 (million), they don’t deserve it. Give this kid what he wants.”
Ayton is headed for restricted free agency this summer, meaning his fate is entirely in Phoenix’s hands. They will have to decide for themselves if matching a max offer sheet is worth keeping their staring big around.
If not, he’ll land somewhere else and will have the chance to prove what kind of player he is once and for all.
