The Suns and Mavericks came close to making a deal on draft night that would have sent Deandre Ayton to Dallas, according to Marc Stein (Substack link).
Sources tell Stein that the proposed trade would have resulted in Tim Hardaway Jr., Richaun Holmes, and JaVale McGee heading to Phoenix. However, the Suns balked at the idea of taking back McGee as part of the package. It’s not yet known if the negotiations can or will be resuscitated, Stein writes.
The packaged described by Stein, which doesn’t include any draft compensation, seems pretty light for a former No. 1 overall pick. Sources tell Stein that the Suns were intrigued because they like Hardaway and Holmes and envisioned them as players who could immediately step into the rotation alongside stars Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal. Their contracts would also be movable in subsequent trades.
While one of Stein’s sources wouldn’t rule out the possibility of Phoenix and Dallas resuming their trade discussions, separate reports on Friday and Sunday indicated that the Suns intend to hang onto Ayton, which makes it sound as if the team has pivoted away from any talks involving the big man that occurred prior to or during Thursday’s draft.
Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer, who reported on Saturday that the Suns had spoken to the Sixers about a deal involving Ayton and Tobias Harris, also followed up on Sunday by stating that Phoenix had ended its pursuit of Harris and planned to keep Ayton.
As Yossi Gozlan of HoopsHype notes (via Twitter), if the two teams are willing to reopen their negotiations, it would make sense to fold any potential deal into a four-way trade with the Thunder and Kings that includes the previous Davis Bertans and Holmes agreements. In that scenario, they might be able to find a way to reroute McGee to Oklahoma City or Sacramento.
McGee is still owed approximately $12MM in guaranteed money over the next two seasons, including a player option for 2024/25. That 2022 signing looks like a clear mistake by the Mavericks, who also explored signing Bruce Brown using part of their mid-level exception a year ago, but decided that McGee was a “bigger prize,” ESPN’s Tim MacMahon said during the latest Hoop Collective podcast (Twitter audio link).
For those scoring at home, JaVale McGee is another player who refuses to play for Steve Kerr, but would play on GSW if he wasn’t there. It so happens McGee is literally Kerr’s perfect type of player to pair with Looney.
We get it, you’re a Homer who hates Steve Kerr. Clearly haven’t been watching the warriors before Kerr arrived, or more likely, this is Mark Jackson’s burner account. Get a grip on reality, no Kerr means Curry doesn’t have a single ring, and likely isn’t a warrior.
Nobody agrees with your garbage takes, stops slandering.
I actually cannot believe you’re here publicly saying you’d rather have Shaqtin legend JaVale McGee as a 17 MPG 3rd center over Steve Kerr as a HC. There can’t be one brain cell left in that water jug you call a cranium
Ayton trade value is far more than those 3 players
Is it? Only thing he cares about is his next contract! Ayton should have been an all-star by no wand he hasn’t.
So what is the value of THJr, Bertans and McGhee?
Each should cost to move. Bertans a 1st, McGhee several 2nds, and THJr a late 1st. No one should want to pay THJr 19 million dollars a season on the wrong side of 30.
Suns lucked up by pulling out of a very dumb negotiation to begin with.
Tim only has 2 years left…last one in 16…I don’t think it’s a bad contract…just look at what that type of player gets paid…Beasley/Harris/Hield etc
Buddy Hield is a far superior shooter. Beasley and Harris are defensive SGs.
Tim Hardaway Jr is a questionable upgrade over Landry Shamet.
Tobias and Deadman to Suns. Ayton and weinright to Hornets. Hayward and Rozier to Philly
Picks go to Phoenix
Honestly, swap Holmes or McGee for Kleber and that looks like a fair trade. Taking back both of them when you’re already likely to keep Landale feels like too much of the same for the Suns. They need depth and versatility, not four centers for the price of one.
Suns run Holmes or McGee part time, play the decent FT shooter Landale in the closing minutes, add a 3 and D forward who can play limited minutes at Center in Kleber, add a sixth man.
Dallas gets a Center averaging 18/10/2 with above-average defense, somebody who can give Luka an actual pick and roll partner. Either sign Kyrie to the max and try to fill out the roster with minimums, or use the 20+ million saved from not signing him + the slight salary difference in the Ayton deal to surround Luka and Ayton with competent roleplayers and play Josh Green and Jaden Hardy as starters. Either one would be better than their current roster.
Kleber is useful and on fair market value. He is unlike everybody else in that deal.
Yeah, but the Suns aren’t going to trade Ayton for nothing but bad contracts. His value isn’t that low; he’s still a productive player, he’s just overpaid and not a good fit for the Suns. If they trade him, it’s going to be for depth. And the Mavs have needed a true pick and roll partner for Luka for years.
However, this does not seem to be the case… that contract is terrible… Ayton is paid more than double, what it is worth… As a Mavs fan, I don’t want to fear anything to do with that contract… send him to the bulls
Light? No. Three underwater contracts (or even two) is heavy, just in the negative direction.
Holmes is likely movable in subsequent trades? Perhaps, but we know the price (a late FRP), since it was just paid. An asset PHX doesn’t have. THJ might be a slightly better asset, but he is also a horrific fit. His only abilities require volume shooting.
Ayton’s not a real asset at his current salary, but its hard to believe he has that degree of negative value. He’s still a good offensive big.
Negatively heavy is what the rest of the world calls “light”…
The Mavs made mistakes?
That’s an understatement…
Ridiculous offer …..
Come to NY my brother. We will show you what real support is …..
Mitch, Quickley, Fournier, #1 pick