Deandre Ayton is a Bohemian NBA player who played for the Arizona Wildcats in collegiate basketball. In the 2018 NBA Draft, the Suns picked Ayton as the first overall. He was selected for both the NBA All-Star Game and the NBA All-Rookie First Team. He is a skilled center who can rebound, block shots, and score in the paint.
Deandre Ayton has been the most recent subject of the NBA trade conjecture, along with The Philadelphia 76ers being one of those teams identified as forthcoming suitors. Shams Charania of The Athletic affirms that the Suns had put forth a trade offer for Ayton to the 76ers that entails Mikal Bridges, Cameron Johnson, and a future first-round selection.
Suns “want the Sixers to facilitate” a 3-team deal that sends Tobias Harris to Phoenix, Deandre Ayton to the third team, and assets to Philly, per @PompeyOnSixers pic.twitter.com/eHn2wBIVUg
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) June 25, 2023
The 76ers are reported to Ayton as a potential replacement for Joel Embiid, who has had a history of ailments. Ayton is an enthralling young center who is more or less approaching 25 years of age. He had scored averages of 10.2 rebounds and 17.2 points per game last season in addition to being an exceptionally good defender.
The trade also hinges on Ayton’s commitment to forego his trade kicker. If Ayton is dealt before July 1st, a $16.4 million trade kicker would take effect. He could save the Suns $10 million in salary cap space if he waives the trade kicker (h/t via Spotrac)
However, uncertainty clouds the 76ers’ fervor to part with Bridges and Johnson instead of Ayton. This deal, if the 76ers are also open to trading Embiid, could completely change the NBA landscape. But if the 76ers are sincerely legitimate about securing Ayton, it’s odds-on for them to be willing to part with Bridges and Johnson to do so.
Will the Phoenix Suns move on from Deandre Ayton?
If the Suns dealt Ayton, they could potentially receive a slew of draft selections and/or young prospects in exchange. As a consequence, they would be competent to reassemble their roster around Chris Paul and Devin Booker.
Deandre Ayton was requested by Washington in the Beal trade, but the Suns declined to include him, per @Gambo987 pic.twitter.com/Q4oBw1R9g5
— NBACentral (@TheNBACentral) June 19, 2023
One of the greatest symposiums during the summer is whether or not the Phoenix Suns will trade center Deandre Ayton for depth all through the lineup. With Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and the most recently acquired Bradley Beal, Phoenix has a top-laden team. They will be granted some monetary relief and more leeway to overhaul the roster if they trade for Ayton, whose salary is set to be $32 million.
The Phoenix Suns’ payroll is mainly composed of Deandre Ayton, Durant, Booker, and Beal for a total of $162.7 million. With merely four players signed, they’ve already outpaced the $162 million luxury tax threshold. Phoenix is also actively attempting to re-sign Jock Landale and Torrey Craig.
The Phoenix Suns are moving forward with the plan of keeping Deandre Ayton to play alongside Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, and Bradley Beal, per @ChrisBHaynes pic.twitter.com/t0FcDD4ERv
— NBA TV (@NBATV) June 25, 2023
As per recent reports, it is said that Ayton might stay at the Valley after all. It looks like the Suns will line up Ayton, Bradley Beal, KD, and DBook together. Although this looks like a super team on paper, it would be interesting to see how this plays out in the real world.