After not reaching a rookie scale extension agreement with center Deandre Ayton on Monday, Suns general manager James Jones tells Sam Amick of The Athletic that the team’s discussions with the former No. 1 overall pick have been mischaracterized.
According to Jones, it’s accurate that the Suns didn’t want to offer Ayton a five-year, maximum-salary extension. However, he disputes the notion that team owner Robert Sarver didn’t want to spend big money on Ayton, telling Amick that the club would’ve been happy to talk about a three- or four-year max deal.
Amick says Ayton’s agents – Bill Duffy and Nima Namakian – are adamant that no maximum-salary contract of any kind was offered, even informally, and that the message they received from the Suns was that the franchise, from Sarver on down, didn’t view the former No. 1 pick as a max player. Asked to respond to that claim, Jones said, “They know that a three- or four-year max was not an (acceptable) option for them.”
As Amick outlines, one reason the Suns were unwilling to offer a fifth year, according to Jones, was the fact that it would make Ayton the team’s second “designated rookie,” joining Devin Booker. The term is something of a misnomer, since a designated rookie isn’t a rookie at all, but rather a player who has signed a five-year rookie scale extension.
Teams are only permitted to carry up to two designated rookies, so signing Ayton to a five-year extension would have limited Phoenix’s options on the trade market, Jones pointed out. While that’s technically true, it’s hard to imagine a scenario in which the Suns would not only be able to acquire a third designated rookie before Booker’s current contract expires, but would be able to do so without giving up Booker or Ayton.
Here are few more of Jones’ comments to Amick on the failed negotiations with Ayton:
On the perception that Sarver is being cheap:
“It’s inaccurate. If you just look at the moves we’ve made, it’s inaccurate. It’s just not (true). If you look at all the moves we’ve made, and the things we’ve done, from (upgrading) the practice facility to the roster itself to acquiring Chris Paul, going and acquiring Jae Crowder, extending the guys that we have, that’s not accurate.
“When you boil this thing down, it’s disappointing that we didn’t get a deal done. It’s disappointing that it was a five-year-rookie-max-or-bust, or nothing to talk about, and we just didn’t have real substantial conversations. And that (idea that a) lack of a deal is a signal that we aren’t committed to Deandre or interested in continuing, that we don’t believe in him, that becomes the narrative. But it’s the furthest from the truth.
On the likelihood of the Suns paying the luxury tax starting next season:
“We’re gonna pay it. I can tell you, if you look at our roster now, all of the moves we’ve made — from Chris, Mikal (Bridges), Cam Payne, Landry (Shamet). All those moves that we’ve made have been to continue to build a team — a deep team. So we’re gonna pay the tax (and) continue to build a deep team.”
On the possibility of Ayton signing a maximum-salary offer sheet next summer:
“I don’t know what the market will be next year. I’m not projecting what the market will be next year. But it’s an issue about the five-year max — the five-year, designated rooke max, you know? That’s the issue. So if it’s a four-year max deal, it could be done, right? It could be done if you entertain it or consider it. But if you don’t, then the only thing you’re talking about is a five-year max deal. So we’re not talking about whether he’s getting paid. It’s whether or not he’s getting a five-year max.”
Foolish move they may come back to haunt them.
There’s the option of matching whatever offer comes. And if Ayton feels disrespected he can sign the QO and leave the next year to a place of his choice
…so you’re saying it is a foolish move, then, since the latter option has now potentially entered the picture while the Suns will still likely be paying Ayton the max.
The team is just being cheap, that’s all. They obviously didn’t want to give him the 5-year/$172M deal that Ayton wanted. But they’re hoping they can save some money next year when another team gives him an offer sheet on a 4-year deal, which would be easier for them to swallow and save them a few million in luxury taxes. Or they could possibly end up losing Ayton too.
Dumb move over a designation that will not come into play, means the owner is being cheap or they don’t believe…the rest is talking in circles lies…you don’t own or be a gm of an nba squad by making illogical decisions so if your reasoning is an illogical decision it is a lie to save face
Poor JJ, it’s not his fault. The owner IS being cheap and he’s forced to do his bidding. Unfortunate for Suns fans.
And the whole quote about not knowing what the market is going to be next offseason is beyond laughable. Especially considering how barren FA has become, multiple teams are likely going to offer Ayton the max and now they can control that process via RFA while the Suns potentially miss out on other FAs in the meantime. The folks who say “who cares, they’ll just match any offer” don’t realize the opportunity cost that can come with RFA. And in this particular case, it was completely unnecessary for the Suns to go down this road.
At the end of the day, JJ had a choice. He opted to pay everyone else except for Ayton. Ayton was at the bottom of the priority and Paul at the top. JJ had a choice. He took advantage of Ayton’s well-mannered humble personality.
It was a short-term decision, to keep Chris Paul around another few years rather than lock up Ayton for the future. It will be very difficult for them to return to the Finals in such a competitive conference. They might have lost out on their best opportunity at a championship since they had Barkley.
Disagree with several points. Bottom priority— more like middle. below CPaul and MBridges, and Bridges was signed pretty late, like the Suns were waiting on an Ayton offer. But from the agents, it was 5-year max or nothing. How do we know that is true?— because it would be a good move by an agent to hold out Ayton for the max, given next year’s likely FA market. Ayton should get it with a decent year.
Posters are saying JJ lied to protect Sarver… like agents never lie? Hard to believe that 1) the agents are bothering to lie, and 2) people are believing it.
If Jones said, no 5-year max, then the agents said no deal, they could then claim to have never received a 4-yeear offer… but in this scenario, they did not make one either.
There was no taking advantage; Jones just valued others more at their price point. As for well-mannered humble, we will see, after this fail.
JJ probably misled Ayton to think that Suns will most likely offer him max extension. 3-4 year extension was probably never brought up until this offseason and Ayton was probably assured that Suns value him as much if not more than his fellow top draft picks. It’s a huge betryal. Ayton has done everything that Suns have asked him to do and they lowball him at the last minute.
@Michol
you reallllly think this has anything to do with anyone’s personality? his agent could careless how mild mannered he is.
They probably think he doesnt have vocal leader like aggressive personality. Sometimes, you have to be selfish and look out for yourself or team is not going to pay you.
The cost of not locking up Ayton is he can do what Kristaps Porzingis did and demand a trade by threatening to take the Qualifying Offer (at which point the team would not be allowed to trade him prior to UFA).
That would leave the team with nothing.
Ayton’s QO is worth 16M and the cap/salaries are expected to go up in the next CBA w/ new TV deals kicking in. Probably worth the 1-year risk.
who can fit him in on a max salary next year without thinning out their team? okc, pistons, spurs maybe.
Would fit just fine on the Pistons!
I dont think he is max player.good player, but not max. Not at same level with doncic and trae
Suns are done. They wont get back to Finals. CP3 had a great opportunity to make an impact and win a Title in Phoenix but he got big headed and got greedy. His job was to support both Booker and Ayton especially since he is getting old. Instead, he wants to be co #1 or #2 on the team and wanted to get paid like one at the expense of Ayton. It’s a huge mistake for both CP3 and Suns. Suns could have been a contender for years to come had CP3 accepted a supporting role instead of leading role. No wonder he doesnt have any Titles.
I give JJ the benefit of the doubt given his league wide respect he has with players, coaches and front office staff. I also agree with him that Sarver is misdiagnosed as cheap, when his record is more impulsive and hard-headed. He spends money and is spending it now, but he often doesn’t spend it wisely. This is also his third misfire in restricted free agency after Joe Johnson and the long saga with Eric Bledsoe’s RFA.
Where I question is the Suns admittedly didn’t put the four year max on the table in writing. Get Ayton and his agent in a room, tell him how much he is loved and respected by the organization and why you can’t offer the fifth year. He may still have said no, but why would he? He can’t get the fifth year from anyone else.
I just hope this doesn’t backfire on them down the road.
A 4-year max deal from PHX is still a better deal than any offer sheet he can possibly get. If the Suns were open to it, and Ayton didn’t have his people sit down with them, then it’s ALL on him. To date, Ayton’s negotiating position can only (even in the best case) result in a worse overall contract than the one he refused to discuss. In every case outside of the best case (a hiccup, injury, market forces, etc.), a much worse overall contract.
Man we all know Sarver is just cheap… but now we know as well that GM Jones is just a liar & someone you can’t believe a single word of, I mean the amount of crapola coming out of his mouth… man just admit you were, wrong you haven’t paid the man, I really hope it backfires & becomes a distraction this season, PHO falls way short of expectations & Ayton does a KP6 to get out of PHO, with such an incompetent GM around they will never seriously compete again, last year they were the luckiest team ever with the injuries to rivals, it won’t happen again!
Get out of there while you can my man Ayton! & get paid as you deserve!
Well Don. I think you’re right on this one…. This will probably become a distraction this season. The question is, “ Does CP3 have the leadership skill to run the team with it?”