In a strange turn of events, the Phoenix Suns are hesitant in giving Deandre Ayton a maximum contract extension. Ayton, for his part, is not willing to accept anything other than a max contract.
It's puzzling why the Suns are not willing to give the big man the massive extension. After all, there are several reasons why they should give Ayton the hefty money bag he deserves.
3. Constant improvement
Everyone seems to have forgotten that Deandre Ayton was the first overall pick of the 2018 NBA Draft. While the ones picked after him—especially Luka Doncic and Trae Young—were the ones who gained recognition the most, this didn't seem to bother Ayton as he constantly worked on his game year in and year out.
Ayton trusted in the process, no matter how uncertain the future is. This is the true hallmark of a professional.
His patience and professionalism worked wonders. Even though he experienced a slight dip in his statistics in his third year, he realized that it was okay as they were piling up the victories. This feat may sound trivial, but not all players are comfortable in seeing their numbers drop even by just a few digits. Ayton proved that he's all for the team.
2. Deandre Ayton came up big in the playoffs for the Suns
Perhaps the most obvious reason why the Suns should give Ayton a max contract is that he was absolutely a beast in the 2021 NBA playoffs. Note that it was Ayton's first playoff campaign and he averaged pretty good numbers: 15.8 points, 11.8 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 1.1 blocks. He also shot 65.8 percent from the field.
Also, it wasn't as if the Suns faced teams with weak big men. Ayton matched up with the likes of Anthony Davis, Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo. He was able to hold his own against these elite big men who have very different playstyles. Against the Los Angeles Clippers, a team who didn't have a legitimate big man, Ayton absolutely trashed them.
You simply cannot discount Ayton's efforts in the playoffs. He's one of the main reasons why the Suns were able to make it all the way to the NBA Finals. He was willing to do the dirty work in the paint, set screens, crash the boards, and more importantly, play within Monty Williams' system.
1. Phoenix must solidify their core while Chris Paul is around
In August, the Suns laid down all their chips for Chris Paul to return as they inked the 11-time All-Star to a massive four-year, $120 million deal. Phoenix believes they could win their first-ever title in franchise history with the Point God around. The front office also needs to keep in mind that Paul is not the only one responsible for the team's success.
Ayton, as already noted, played a very key part as well. Teams who have won a title have a pretty decent core who have developed their chemistry through the years.
It should be crystal clear that the Suns' star core comprises of Paul, Booker and Ayton. This means that whatever tweak the front office makes in the future, it should be in the service of these three players.
If they want to sign or trade for a player, the Suns should reflect first if he would fit with the core. The longer they keep their core intact, the easier it is for the front office to make roster, coaching, or staff decisions.
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