The Suns matched the Pacers’ four-year, $133MM offer sheet to keep Deandre Ayton in Phoenix, but some mending is still needed between the two sides, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski said during an appearance on NBA Today (video link).
Wojnarowski specifically mentioned coach Monty Williams and star guard Chris Paul, two key pieces of the Suns’ team, as figures who could help smooth things over with Ayton. Phoenix dealt with chemistry issues related to the former No. 1 overall pick toward the end of the season and ultimately lost to Dallas 4-3 in the second round.
For his part, Ayton averaged 17.2 points and 10.2 rebounds per game last season, helping the Suns achieve the league’s best record at 64-18. Phoenix also made the NBA Finals just in 2021, so the team should still be viewed as a title contender entering next season.
There’s more from the Western Conference tonight:
- Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic (subscriber link) lists five reasons why the Suns shouldn’t give up on pursuing Nets superstar Kevin Durant despite matching the Pacers’ offer sheet for Ayton. Durant has proven he’s still a top-three player in the world, averaging 29.9 points, 7.4 rebounds and 6.4 assists per game last season. That scoring mark was his highest since 2013/14 with Oklahoma City, when he won the league’s MVP award.
- The Mavericks signed veteran center JaVale McGee to a three-year, $17MM deal that contains a $6MM player option in the final season, Hoops Rumors has learned. McGee is expected to start alongside Christian Wood — who was also recently acquired by the team — to begin the season. McGee was one of the league’s best backup centers last season.
- Jason Anderson of the Sacramento Bee examines some summer league finale notes for the Kings. Sacramento defeated Houston on Saturday despite missing Keegan Murray and others, winning 92-81. The team was lead by Jeriah Horne‘s 20 points.
No way KD is top 3 player anymore but I’d place him in the top 15 last year. Citing a high ppg as the only reason is not enough. He scored a lot last year because who else was going to do it for BKN?
I mean, until he can’t put up those numbers, it’s hard to really say he isn’t a top 3 player. Scoring aside, his rebounds and assists were good. Now, he is a snake and as a GM I wouldn’t give away the farm for someone who may request a trade in a season or two.
My top 5 players ranking
Giannis
Curry
Durant
Jokic
Embiid
Please post yours
Tatum was defeated by Wiggins because of fatigue
Only one player never feels fatigue is
Wiggins
Must have missed that Nets Celtics series. If you have KD top 5 after that you’re crazy or unaware.
Top 5
Giannis
Embiid
Curry
Jokic
Luka
For the record I’d have Tatum and Lebron ahead of KD as well
Or people watched the BK/BOS series and noticed the focused defense on KD. When you only have 2 legit scorers, that makes defense “easier” in the sense you can focus your defense on those 2 guys and not have to worry about getting burnt by the rest on the floor.
Giannis
Luka
Jokic
Curry
KD
But there are about 5 guys that could arguably be in that 5th spot.
Trippin w no embiid
Embiid is one of those five guys that could easily be the 5th spot for me.
@Dreaming so you’re saying KD is top 3 player and couldn’t get buckets against the Celtics because they focused on him AND the number 2 option in Kyrie? You don’t see a problem in that logic?
If you changed the Raptors with KD last year vs Bos, Celtics probably get swept
Ok. Focus on KD, then Focus on Siakam. Wow FVV just dropped 50 on you unguarded and Barnes went 20/20 with a handful of assist.
Fine, Focus on KD and FVV next game, wow Siakam goes for 40 Barnes gets another 20 and Trent JR or OG haven’t even been spoken about
YES clearly having a better team around a superstar matters.
Don’t try to say KD can’t do this or that when he was surrounded by lame ducks. Averaging 30 because he was the only guy who can score says alot considering how few options he had
And if you pair KD with Magic, Michael, Larry and Kareem they go 82-0! Brilliant!
Not sure you understood the analogy. But hey. You do You brother. Here’s the attention you were seeking.
Swap KD with any of the top 5 guys I listed and the Nets certainly don’t get swept. Tired of acting like the Celtics were some juggernaut. They were a Jimmy 3 away from blowing it up.
The same 5 different order though
1.Giannis
2. Curry
3. Jokic
4. Luka
5. Embiid
I can’t put Durant on any top 5 list anymore and I don’t see how anyone could put Durant on a list and not Put LeBron. Their stat lines from last season are almost identical including games played. They’re both all time greatest but father time has caught up.
Yes Curry missed a lot of games but his team won the 16 that mattered most.
First good Sullivan post! Good list man!
Giannis
Steph
Jokic
LeBron
KD
Right there:
Luka
Embiid
Next tier:
Tatum
Butler
Beal
Towns
Booker
Injury-prone Hall of Famers:
Kawhi
AD
PG13
Lillard
I forgot Ja Morant. Put him in the next tier and drop Bradley Beal
Injury-prone means you’re consistently getting injured. Last season was the only one in Dame’s career where he missed a large chunk of games. Not saying he deserves a spot in any of your other categories, but it’s harsh to call him injury-prone.
Perhaps when he is on the court you can make the case but the past 3 years he has been off it more than on. This year is big for him in terms of if his injured plagued recent history is in the past.
@buckman
That’s pretty dumb way of seeing things. As long as he’s shooting at a highly efficient level like 51/38/91 then, in theory, it’s even more amazing considering the defense can really focus on him with no Kyrie or Harden (whose been more passive lately) on three floor. It’s not like he was a volume shooter racking up points while shooting at low percentages like Iverson, no disrespect to AI. In fact, I’d go as far and say that it was KD’s job to take those 20 shots per game just to keep his team in the game.
Curious why his take is dumb because Durant played under 60 games and was outplayed by Tatum in their series. Sure Durant has good averages, but it comes down to consistency and showing up when it matters. You can’t live off of averages if you don’t rack up enough games to make an impact. I get it that Harden and Irving hurt their success and made it harder for him, but look at what Luka did. That’s wear and tear and age. I think Durant is still great but he’s been passed up.
@Omarj
So because an exhausted KD had a bad 4 game stretch that’s suppose to disqualify him from being one of the best in the game right now? I mean if you want to disqualify him for being injured then ok? But to drop him down to top 15 is ludicrous. When healthy still a proven top 5 guy.
He has only played 90 games the last 2 years so as far getting consideration as the best player or top 3 being on the court counts quite a bit.
My 2nd point relates to this year. If he only plays 50-60 games or less he should not be considered a top player.
BKN wants everyone to believe they would get 25 year old KD in a trade but the past few years have told a different story due to injuries.
Durant is amazing. If there’s 5 players better than him currently (subjective) that’s more a testament to how healthy the league is than any knock on KD
I never understand how these “top” lists ever relate to anything purposeful or impactful , on or off the court
If all of the players were released and every team redrafted where would KD go? I think between picks 10& 20 because of his age and health status.
I feel like across the board sit has to be either Giannas or Jokic 1 and 2, with Embiid 3.
Jokic won the last 2 MVPs back to back with Embiid closely behind ins evens twice and before that it was Giannas back to back MVPs.
After these 3, I’d personally have it Curry KD and Bron. Some might have it these three guys in another order, that’s fine with me. Some people may have Luka in there, some may have Kawhi but I disagree that would be my 6 and 7.
My argument would be Kawhi hasn’t played enough and when he has played it hasn’t been at the same level as previous. He’s been good but not all that. As for Luka, he gets heaps of stats but there’s a lack of defence which isn’t questionable, secondly up until this season he never did anything in the post season, I dislike that he jacks up bad three point attempts and I think his style of game can sometimes be hard for others to play with (KP for example). I just have doubts that it’ll translate into wins unless he has a loaded supporting cast.
Whereas my top 5 all have some postseason success, all are the focal point of there team and without them would really struggle and yeah that’s about it
Suns are favorite after acquiring Durant
Handsome offer is absolutely needed
Nets dump 8 million additional salary to Suns
I have only 4 elite title contenders
Warriors
Clippers
Celtics
Bucks
The followings are not title contenders
Suns
Heat
Mavs
Nuggets
Grizzlies
76ers
Fox sports put Lakers in
@Sill
Certainly your entitled to your opinion but you put the Clipps who didn’t make the playoffs high because I assume your factoring in a healthy Kawhi and PG + Walsh. Using that same logic shouldn’t you factor in the current back to back MVP Jokic having a healthy Murray and Porter back to push the 6th seeded Nuggets higher?
@Sill
So you’re taking the Heat, the team that lost to Boston in the 7th game of the ECF and the Suns who were 1st in the WC out of contention all together? And not even put the Grizzlies who battled GSW in a 6 game series largely without their best player in Morant the last few games of the WC Semis? Yikes.
Heat lost Tucker
Suns lost McGee
Grizzlies lost Anderson and Milton
NBA is at full strength next year
This season is the best season ever
3 weakest seasons are
2020
2021
1999
Suns lost McGee… and a back up center takes them out of contention?
Other teams get much better
Clippers
Nuggets
Wolves
It’s possible that Suns will be murdered in first round in 2023
Suns lost McGee, but get Dario Saric back who didn’t play a minute last season. It’s otherwise the exact same team that won 64 games last season.
ESPN should give you your own half-hour block. I’d watch the crap out of it.
Sacamenna kings
Suns are a joke! They friggin embarassed tbemselves with Ayton. Why not sign last offseason if you always planned on matching?! Why try to scam him and shortchange him?? Why patronize him, call him out all season, and intentionally try talk fown his value im FA period?? Bottom line is they screwed up prioritizing Paul over Ayton. Paul is a great player but you still have to take care of your #1 pick.
That’s Phoenix professional sports for ya!
No mending is needed. It was Ayton’s decision not to sit down with the team last year, which would have yielded him a slightly better 4 year max contract to the one he got. PHX doesn’t care. They told him at the time they’d match and never waivered. That’s the system that’s been negotiated.
@DXC
Hey if I’m shooting 60% for my 4 year career (57% before CP3) and I had his offensive skills but I’ve been asked to take a backseat behind Paul and Booker, the latter who is soon to earn $50 to $60 mil per, I’d feel a certain kind of way too. There’s a legit reason to think with 8 to10 more shots he’d be a legit 25/10 player. I’ll be a team player but you better pay me respect by paying me the max.
I wouldn’t argue the merits of his compensation. No need, because he’s being paid max (just not the 5 year one he wanted).
PHX matched his offer sheet right after they got it, and he knew they would match because they told him ahead of time. That sounds like respect to me. But if respect requires a team to eschew market analysis (which is the point of the RFA system) and just pay every top player the maximum they’re allowed to for the maximum time they’re allow to, and do so up front before the player will even agree to meet with the FO, then I guess he was disrespected.
I’m sure PHX went through the same process with Booker. Just because their opinion of market came out slightly (and only slightly) different in that case doesn’t mean was treated better. With Bridges too, I guess they REALLY disrespected him. Or maybe, the market salary isn’t about respect, but the market, and like everyone else in the world, players get paid what they can command in it, not what they’re worth, and reasonable people can disagree, especially when trying to glean that market a year in advance. That’s why there’s a negotiated process, and it ran its course here to the result we have. If that requires fence mending, then something is amiss.
There may need to be some mending, but I’m sure Ayton must also be happy he’s back with the Suns. Yeah, they busted his balls … but now he’s got his money and he’s with a winning title contender. Best of both worlds.
His feelings are still hurt and he’s still pissed he doesnt have 5 yr contract. It’s more like a respect; it’s not always anout money.
I’d never pay a center who isn’t Embiid, Towns or Jokic that kind of money. The Suns proved with Smith, McGee and Biyombo that they could keep winning games without Ayton. And those guys together didn’t cost even half what Ayton will be paid this season
@Lionel
Ummm…. when and what was proven with those 3? Anyone who says “I’m not paying any center not one of these 3” is a fool, no disrespect. How many 20/10/75 FT%/.600+ FG% bigs are were there in the league last season?
1 and his name is DeAndre Ayton. Maybe a physical force like him deserves more than 12 touches a game? 18 FGA at 60% made = 21.6 per game. He doesn’t draw enough fouls but he makes 75%. Not hard to imagine if he can draw 6 fouls a game he could raise that ppg from 22 to 25/26. Feed the beast!!!!
Keep trying to trade for KD!
-Talking heads with nothing better to do