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Lowe’s Latest: Player Movement, Harden, Ayton, Paul

May 16th, 2023 at 12:08pm CST by Luke Adams

There could be a significant amount of star player movement in the NBA within the next year, Zach Lowe of ESPN said in the latest episode of his Lowe Post podcast (YouTube link). Lowe pointed to a number of volatile situations around the league and the potential impact of the new Collective Bargaining Agreement as reasons why we could see more notable trades and free agency moves than usual in the not-too-distant future.

“I think the next year in the NBA could be an unbelievable period of superstar and star player movement because you’ve just got a lot of sort of roiling situations,” Lowe explained (hat tip to RealGM). “You have one year left before the really harsh trade rules kick into place, after the 2023/24 season, where teams over the second apron, like the Clippers for instance, cannot even aggregate salaries. They can’t add up money to bring in a big money player. That’s starting after next season.

“I think we could see a ton of movement in the offseason and up to the (trade) deadline. And a ton of big names moving. That’s not to say (Joel) Embiid, but I think this going to be a hot and heavy offseason and people should buckle up.”

Lowe’s prediction followed a conversation about Embiid’s future with the Sixers. Lowe stressed that the 2023 MVP has always been loyal to Philadelphia and expressed skepticism that Embiid would ask for a trade anytime soon, but noted that teams around the NBA have an eye on that situation following another disappointing playoff exit.

Pointing to the Knicks, in particular, Lowe said he’d be surprised if New York gave up significant assets for a player like Damian Lillard or Karl-Anthony Towns, arguing that clubs in the Knicks’ position would be better off waiting to see if a higher-level star like Embiid eventually becomes available.

Here’s more from Lowe’s most recent podcast, which featured fellow ESPN reporter Tim MacMahon:

James Harden‘s future in Philadelphia is much less certain than Embiid’s. During a discussion about the future of the Sixers guard, both Lowe and MacMahon stated that the Rockets “think he’s coming.” Harden can become a free agent this summer by declining his player option for 2023/24, and rumors about a return to Houston continue to percolate.
Monty Williams‘ ouster in Phoenix doesn’t necessarily mean the Suns will be more inclined to hang onto center Deandre Ayton, who had an up-and-down relationship with Williams. Lowe says the Ayton situation has “spun totally out of control,” adding that many people within the organization are “tired” of the Suns’ center. MacMahon agrees that the two sides needs to move on and says he’s “pretty confident” Ayton will be dealt this offseason.
While he makes it clear that he doesn’t have any inside info and isn’t explicitly reporting anything, Lowe views the Clippers as a logical trade partner for the Suns if they want to move Chris Paul. As Lowe explains, Los Angeles has been seeking an answer at point guard throughout the Paul George/Kawhi Leonard era and Phoenix would like to add reliable depth, which the Clippers could provide.

Suns Notes: Ayton, Paul, Coaching Search, Front Office Changes

May 14th, 2023 at 12:03pm CST by Luke Adams

Following the end of the Suns‘ season, center Deandre Ayton, point guard Chris Paul, and head coach Monty Williams were the three names that came up most frequently in speculation about major changes, writes Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic.

The Suns have already parted ways with one of those three, announcing late on Saturday that that Williams had been let go from his position. While Ayton or Paul could be next, neither player suggested during Friday’s end-of-season exit interviews with the media that he’s seeking an exit ramp out of Phoenix.

“I love Phoenix, man,” Ayton said, per Rankin. “I’m going to continue playing hard for Phoenix and keep representing. I don’t listen to the outside noise. I’m here, I’m happy. We didn’t finish how we wanted to, but there’s always next year. This summer is just more work.”

Ayton is under contract for three more seasons, but is considered a possible trade candidate. Paul has a $30.8MM salary for 2023/24, but it’s only partially guaranteed for $15.8MM.

“My contract is not up,” Paul said when asked if he expected to remain with the Suns. “Unfortunately, I’m not the GM or anything like that. We’ll see.”

Here’s more on the Suns:

Doug Haller of The Athletic takes a closer look at why Mat Ishbia and the Suns decided to move on from Williams, discussing the coach’s lineup and rotation decisions and his shaky relationship with Ayton, among other factors. Within his story, Haller observes that Ishbia’s involvement in the Williams’ dismissal signals that the new owner intends to be very involved in basketball operations and personnel decisions.
Before firing Williams, the Suns had already started to make some organizational changes, according to Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports, who reports (via Twitter) that the team fired a front office executive and a pair of scouts on Friday.
Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports profiles a handful of contenders to replace Williams on the Suns’ bench, including previously reported head coaching candidates like Mike Budenholzer, Nick Nurse, and Kevin Young. Bourguet thinks the team would be wise to consider Frank Vogel too, but views Tyronn Lue as the best fit if he’s attainable.

Fischer’s Latest: Bucks, M. Williams, Lue, Ayton, Suns

May 12th, 2023 at 1:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Monty Williams‘ name has been “gaining steam” when rival personnel discuss possible candidates for the Bucks‘ head coaching vacancy, according to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports. League sources tell Fischer that Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue is also on Milwaukee’s radar.

Previous reporting from Adrian Wojnarowski and Eric Nehm indicated that the Bucks are keeping an eye on coaches currently employed by rival franchises, a point which Fischer reiterates. This is the first time we’ve heard which specific targets Milwaukee may be eyeing.

Williams remains under contract with the Suns for multiple seasons and Lue isn’t a free agent either, so if the Bucks hope to get an opportunity to hire one of those coaches without sending out some form of compensation, they’ll have to hope they part ways with their respective clubs this spring.

Here’s more from Fischer, with a focus on the Suns:

In a look at Deandre Ayton‘s possible market, Fischer names the Mavericks as a team that’s frequently mentioned as a potential suitor for the Suns center. While the Pacers, who signed Ayton an offer sheet last summer, have since extended center Myles Turner, Turner’s new contract is considered one of the more movable deals in the NBA due to its declining salary structure, Fischer observes.
Even before they acquired Kevin Durant at the in-season trade deadline, the Suns gave rival teams the impression they were seeking a long-term replacement for Chris Paul at point guard, per Fischer, who adds that Phoenix has been linked to veterans like Fred VanVleet and Terry Rozier.
One rival team strategist is skeptical that the Suns have a path to make major roster upgrades this offseason, given their cap position and lack of valuable trade assets. “I think they’ll have to leverage veteran minimums and hope they can get something good in return for Ayton,” the strategist told Fischer.
Suns associate head coach Kevin Young is viewed as a strong candidate to get a head coaching job with an NBA team sooner or later, according to Fischer, who notes that Young has received consideration from Houston and Toronto this spring.

Suns Considered Likely To Shop Deandre Ayton, Chris Paul

May 12th, 2023 at 10:26am CST by Luke Adams

Center Deandre Ayton (ribs) and point guard Chris Paul (groin) were inactive for the final game of Phoenix’s season on Thursday night, and it’s possible they’ve played in a Suns uniform for the last time, writes Tim MacMahon of ESPN.com.

According to MacMahon, who cites league sources, the Suns are expected to “aggressively” explore Ayton’s trade market this offseason. Sources tell ESPN that the former No. 1 overall pick would be excited by the opportunity to get a fresh start with another team.

Ayton reached restricted free agency last summer after he logged a playoff-low 17 minutes and had a sideline confrontation with head coach Monty Williams during the Suns’ final game of the postseason, a 33-point home loss to Dallas. The big man signed a four-year, maximum-salary offer sheet with the Pacers, and was said to be keen on the idea of teaming up with Tyrese Haliburton in Indiana, but the Suns quickly matched that offer in order to retain him.

Sources tell MacMahon that Williams and some Suns players have been frustrated at times with “what they perceive to be inconsistent effort and aggression” from Ayton. Sean Deveney of Heavy.com has also heard that the center will likely be on the trade block this offseason.

“It’s almost certain they will look into trading him,” one general manager told Deveney. “I think they feel like they can do all right with a mishmash of decent centers and changing their focus on getting better talent around those two star guys. That’s been true for the past couple of years, really. Deandre has butted heads with Monty. But he can be a great player, still, it just needs to be somewhere else.”

Executives who spoke to Heavy.com speculated that the Bulls, Mavericks, Trail Blazers, and Hornets could be potential Ayton suitors.

The belief is that the Suns would be targeting ball-handlers, shooters, and/or three-and-D type players in any Ayton deal, rather than another big-money center, Deveney adds. MacMahon conveys a similar sentiment, writing that Phoenix would like to lessen the burden on Kevin Durant and Devin Booker by adding role players who complement them rather than a third star.

According to MacMahon, there’s also an expectation that Paul will be shopped before the Suns have to make a decision on his contract for 2023/24. Currently, only $15.8MM of the veteran’s $30.8MM salary is guaranteed.

In addition to mentioning this possibility in his ESPN.com story, MacMahon stated in stronger terms on the Hoop Collective podcast with Brian Windhorst that he expects Paul’s name to pop up in trade rumors.

“I certainly would anticipate they aggressively shop Chris Paul before that June 28 (salary guarantee) deadline,” MacMahon said. “I think it’s pretty likely that Chris Paul is elsewhere next year.”

As for a possible head coaching change or front office shakeup in Phoenix, there’s no solid reporting yet suggesting either will happen, but sources with other teams have speculated about the idea, MacMahon writes, noting that one scout told him when the Suns were down by 30 points at halftime on Thursday, “Some heads are going to roll for this one.”

Williams and GM James Jones have strong résumés and have helped rebuild the culture in Phoenix following several years in the lottery, but the team has now had two embarrassing playoff exits in a row and has a new owner (Mat Ishbia) who may be looking to put his stamp on the franchise.

Suns Notes: Durant, Booker, Williams, CP3, More

May 12th, 2023 at 8:00am CST by Luke Adams

A year after losing by 33 points to the Mavericks in Game 7 of the Western Conference Semifinals in Phoenix, the Suns exited the 2023 postseason on Thursday in a similar fashion, suffering a 25-point Game 6 home loss to Denver.

Star forward Kevin Durant, who was acquired at February’s trade deadline to help push the Suns over the top, referred to the season-ending defeat as “embarrassing,” according to Tim MacMahon of ESPN. Devin Booker, the team’s leading playoff scorer, had just 12 points on 4-of-13 shooting in the loss and left the arena without speaking to the media, which MacMahon suggests is an “extremely uncharacteristic move” for the superstar guard.

As disappointing as the loss was, Durant expressed some optimism that the Suns will benefit from a full offseason together, noting that the team has a strong core to build around. As Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic relays (via Twitter video), Durant acknowledged that some roster “tweaks” may be around the corner, but didn’t necessarily agree with the idea that major changes are necessary.

“We just got to be better next year,” Durant said, per MacMahon. “It’s hard right now to see what the future will hold for our team, but we got a good foundation, good infrastructure. We can build on and move on from this and learn from it and get better from it. I’m sure as the summer and offseason starts, we’ll figure that out a little bit more.”

Here’s more on the Suns as their offseason begins:

Given the discouraging way the season ended and the presence of a new, deep-pocketed owner (Mat Ishbia), Greg Moore of The Arizona Republic expects significant changes in Phoenix this offseason. In Moore’s view, head coach Monty Williams, general manager James Jones, and center Deandre Ayton are among those who share blame for the Suns’ disappointing finish and whose long-term futures in Phoenix aren’t assured.
Williams took responsibility for the Suns’ poor start on Thursday after the team fell behind by 30 points before halftime. “I take (this) personally, not having our team ready to play in the biggest game of the year,” Williams said, according to Doug Haller of The Athletic. “That’s something that I pride myself on. It just didn’t happen tonight. That’s something that I have to really take a look at, everything I’m doing to allow us be successful on these days.”
While the exact details of Williams’ contract with the Suns aren’t known, John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 (Twitter links) believes that the deal has at least three years and $21MM left on it, so making a coaching change may not be prudent from a financial perspective even if the club wanted to consider the idea.
Bobby Marks of ESPN (Insider link) and Yossi Gozlan of HoopsHype look ahead to the difficult offseason decisions facing the Suns. As Marks and Gozlan outline, Phoenix will be hamstrung going forward by the introduction of a second tax apron and has a decision to make on Chris Paul, whose $30.8MM salary for 2023/24 is only partially guaranteed for $15.8MM.
The Suns’ tentative media deal with Gray TV and streamer Kiswe, which we explained here, has been voided by a federal bankruptcy judge following a lawsuit from Diamond Sports Group, reports Daniel Kaplan of The Athletic. According to Rankin at The Arizona Republic, the Suns issued a statement indicating that they’re seeking a “fair resolution” to the dispute with the parent company of their previous broadcaster, Bally Sports Southwest.

Chris Paul Ruled Out For Game 6; Deandre Ayton Questionable

May 10th, 2023 at 10:08pm CST by Rory Maher

The Suns will be without their starting point guard again for Game 6 vs. Denver on Thursday night, having ruled out Chris Paul due to the left groin strain he suffered in Game 2, writes Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic.

It will be the fourth straight missed game for Paul, who was also sidelined for Games 3, 4 and 5. The Suns have gone 2-1 without him thus far, but trail the Nuggets 3-2 in their second-round series and are facing an elimination game at home.

According to Rankin, Paul had an extended workout following Wednesday’s practice, leading some to wonder if he might be able to play. Head coach Monty Williams quickly shot down that notion, however.

“You can see him on the floor working, but I’m sure that leads people to think, ‘He’s doing this, he should be here,'” Williams said. “I just don’t want to speculate on that based on the reports coming that are coming back to me that tell me that nothing has changed as far as availability, but he is doing more, for sure.”

Deandre Ayton is listed as questionable for Game 6 after taking a hard shot to the ribs in Game 5, Rankin adds. The center expressed optimism about being available tomorrow following Game 5, and it sounds like his status is precautionary.

“He seems like he’s OK, but he’s going to get it checked out,” Williams said.

Suns Notes: Booker, CP3, Durant, Craig, Ayton

May 10th, 2023 at 7:50am CST by Luke Adams

Suns guard Devin Booker was a human torch in Games 3 and 4 of the team’s second round series vs. Denver, pouring in a total of 83 points on 34-of-43 (79.1%) shooting in a pair of home victories. But he looked human in Game 5 on Tuesday, writes Doug Haller of The Athletic, making just 8-of-19 shots en route to 28 points.

Booker, who has played at least 40 minutes in every one of the Suns’ 10 playoff games so far, dismissed the idea that the workload – and the Denver altitude – was negatively impacting him, per Haller. He also shrugged off an awkward-looking fall where he seemed to roll his ankle.

While head coach Monty Williams has expressed a desire to manage Booker’s minutes to some extent, he suggested on Tuesday that the Nuggets’ defense was probably more to blame than fatigue for his star guard’s dip in shooting efficiency.

“They ran two or three guys at Kevin (Durant) and Book tonight,” Williams said. “That means other guys got to be able to knock down shots. I thought Terrence (Ross) hit a few, but we just didn’t get enough production on the back side of our offense to help Kevin and Book.”

Here’s more on the Suns:

Facing a 3-2 deficit, Phoenix would love to have starting point guard Chris Paul (groin) back for an elimination game on Thursday. Asked last night by Tim MacMahon of ESPN (Twitter link) about the possibility of returning for Game 6, Paul replied, “We’ll see. I’m trying to.”
As MacMahon details at ESPN.com, Durant downplayed a brief on-court altercation that occurred during the third quarter of Tuesday’s game when Nikola Jokic and Bruce Brown approached the Suns’ huddle. Brown and Durant, who shoved Jokic away from Phoenix’s bench (video link), received double technicals for the incident, which didn’t escalate any further. “It wasn’t anything serious,” Durant said. “They were excited. They was up big, and we were trying to draw some stuff up. And you know how that goes. I don’t think it was nothing.”
Suns forward Torrey Craig published a cryptic tweet after Tuesday’s loss, posting a graphic that reads, “Understand that not everything is meant to be understood.” It’s probably safe to assume that Craig’s tweet has something to do with his declining role — after starting all five games of Phoenix’s first-round series, he has fallen out of the rotation in round two, playing fewer than eight total minutes in the last three contests.
Deandre Ayton took a hard hit to his ribs during the first quarter of Tuesday’s loss (video link) and was clearly in pain later in the night, wearing a bandage over his lower right rib cage as he spoke to reporters, writes Dana Scott of The Arizona Republic. However, Ayton remained in the game and is confident the injury won’t be an issue on Thursday. “I won’t feel this at all. The adrenaline will definitely carry me,” he said. “We’re very confident. At the end of the day, our fans are gonna make sure that we do the right thing and just make sure that we handle business at home.”

Suns Notes: Paul, Shamet, Ayton, Jokic, Durant, Williams, Ishbia

May 8th, 2023 at 10:56pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Suns have ruled out Chris Paul for Game 5 of the team’s second-round series against the Nuggets on Tuesday, ESPN’s news services relay. Paul has already missed the last two games after suffering a groin injury in Game 2.

Although these types of injuries normally take weeks to heal, there’s a possibility that Paul will return for the Suns in Game 6, Shams Charania said on Fan Duel TV (Twitter link). “I think the window for him to return from that groin strain is Game 6, potentially,” Charania said.

We have more from the Suns:

Guard Landry Shamet and center Deandre Ayton shrugged off criticism and made major contributions in Game 4, Gerald Bourguet of GoPhnx.com notes. Shamet had 19 points in 30 minutes off the bench, more points than the Nuggets’ entire bench produced. Shamet had only 14 points in the first seven playoff games. Ayton’s numbers were modest but he found ways to impact the game. “I thought he came out in that fourth quarter and made some huge defensive plays for us,” Kevin Durant said of Ayton.
How do the Suns feel about Nikola Jokic only getting fined after his sideline incident with new owner Mat Ishbia? Durant is happy that a potential suspension didn’t overshadow a pivotal contest, according to Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic. “Glad none of that can get in the way,” he said. “We can just focus on basketball.” Coach Monty Williams feels the same way. “I just heard about the decision and that’s that,” he said. “I’m focused on us playing better, making the adjustments that we need to make. Being better at things we need to be better in. That’s my mindset. I don’t want to give energy and time to something that I can’t control. I’m good with it.”
Regarding the same incident, Denver Post columnist Sean Keeler wonders why Ishbia didn’t receive some disciplinary action from the league for holding the ball away from Jokic. Keeler suggests Ishbia should pay Jokic’s fine or that he also should get docked $25K.

Suns Notes: Ayton, Landale, Paul, Ross

May 6th, 2023 at 11:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

Deandre Ayton‘s teammates rose to his defense following his poor outing in Friday’s Game 3, writes Duane Rankin 0f The Arizona Republic. Even though the Suns picked up their first win in the series with Denver, Ayton turned in his worst game of the playoffs, shooting 2-of-6 from the floor and scoring just four points in 25 minutes.

Ayton was pulled from the game with 4:57 remaining, bringing back memories of last season when coach Monty Williams benched him during a Game 7 loss to Dallas. Ayton signed an offer sheet with the Pacers over the summer that Phoenix quickly matched, and he revealed at training camp that he didn’t talk to Williams at all during the offseason.

Ayton was visibly angry about being subbed out Friday night and didn’t speak to the media after the game, according to Rankin, but he remained supportive of his teammates and offered advice to backup center Jock Landale on how to guard Nikola Jokic. Landale was among Ayton’s most vocal defenders after Saturday’s practice (video link).

“If you watch when me and (Bismack Biyombo) are in the game and we do something well, DA is the first dude off that bench to stand up and clap, and that speaks volumes about his character, but people seem to totally forget about that,” Landale said. “That’s been something that DA has stood on all year and he’s continued to do that for other players around him, especially myself and Biz, is encourage us at times he’s not having the best night and he’s allowed to not have a great night.”

There’s more from Phoenix:

Williams’ decision to pull Ayton was partially influenced by Landale’s effectiveness, Rankin adds. In 22 minutes, he made all three of his shots, collected nine rebounds and made several plays to help Phoenix hold off a Nuggets’ comeback. “Jock was giving us great energy,” Williams said. “I thought his pressure on the rim, just in transition, opened up a ton of lanes for all of our guys to attack the paint tonight in transition and then he just scrapped. You couldn’t point out anything that he did from a high-level skill perspective, but he just scrapped and even when he was guarding (Jamal) Murray or guarding the smalls, he just competed.”
As expected, Chris Paul has been ruled out for Sunday’s Game 4, Rankin adds in another Arizona Republic story. The veteran point guard was a very limited participant in today’s practice as he tries to work his way back from a left groin strain.
Terrence Ross was thrilled to be part of the rotation for the first time since the playoffs began (video link from Rankin). Ross had five points in nearly 14 minutes as Williams looked for more scoring off his bench.

Suns Notes: Paul, Ishbia, Game 3, Series

May 4th, 2023 at 9:18pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Suns star point guard Chris Paul has been officially ruled out for Friday’s crucial Game 3 matchup against the Nuggets, per Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN.

Paul departed Phoenix’s Game 2 loss in Denver with a left groin strain, and had been considered doubtful to play in either of the Suns’ first two home contests in the series. Game 5, if needed, will return the series to Ball Arena.

Ahead of Paul being officially ruled out, Suns head coach Monty Williams had revealed that Paul did no on-court work in a team practice Thursday, according to Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic (Twitter video link).

“Obviously we are going to miss Chris,” Suns All-Star forward Kevin Durant said following the practice. “And what he brings to the table. We just got to go out there and play our game, play together, we try not to think too much about it and try to move the ball and play together… and put yourself in a good position.”

There’s more out of Phoenix:

After Diamond Sports Group filed a lawsuit against the Suns franchise for leaving current broadcast home Bally Sports Arizona in favor of Gray Television Inc. and Kiswe, new team owner Mat Ishbia issued a response, Rankin writes in a separate piece. “Nobody is surprised by this lawsuit and it will not stop the Phoenix Suns and Mercury from making our games available to as many people as we possibly can,” Ishbia said. “I firmly believe the future success of the NBA and WNBA is about getting our product to everyone who wants it versus just the people who pay for it.”
The Suns return home to Phoenix in an 0-2 hole during their second-round series against the Nuggets. The team is eager to put a win on the board, writes Rankin in another article. “It’s new adversity, it’s all part of the playoffs,” Phoenix center Deandre Ayton said. “The [thing] is, it’s really enlightened us, you know. Now we got to grit and grind. Now we’re desperate. I kind of like it.”
Despite trailing Denver in the series, the Suns can still rally to win, opines Chris Coppola of The Arizona Republic. Coppola believes the team’s starting frontcourt of Durant and Ayton must step up, and that Phoenix’s home crowd could help elevate the team as well.