Getty Suns center Deandre Ayton
Phoenix Suns star Deandre Ayton’s game has seemingly fallen off since losing in the 2021 NBA Finals. Phoenix has also suffered back-to-back exits in the second round of the playoffs during that span.
And with the addition of Kevin Durant into the Suns’ offense via a blockbuster deal at the February trade deadline, Ayton’s offensive touches have become few and far between. And for that, many believe that the former Arizona Wildcat will soon be a distant memory in the Valley.
In a new proposal from Bleacher Report, Greg Swartz proposes a trade that sends Ayton to the Indiana Pacers for a two-player, two-pick haul:
Indiana Pacers receive: C Deandre Ayton
Phoenix Suns receive: C Myles Turner, PG T.J. McConnell, 2023 first-
round pick (No. 26 overall), 2023 second-round pick (No. 55 overall)
Deandre Ayton Cannot Be Traded Before July 14
Ayton’s tenure in Phoenix began unraveling when he and former head coach Monty Williams began to bump heads. Things came to a head during Game 7 of the 2022 Western Conference Semifinals against the Dallas Mavericks. Ayton and Williams got into a publicized altercation on the Suns’ bench, and he eventually was benched for the majority of a win-or-go-home game that resulted in a blowout.
Ayton’s spat with Williams and the Suns came at a less-than-ideal time. Heading into the 2022 offseason, he was scheduled to be a restricted free agent. Meaning Ayton would be allowed to seek offers, but the Suns would have an opportunity to match it. Despite the public spat and embarrassing blowout in the 2022 playoffs, the Suns matched a 4-year, $132 million offer Ayton received from – the Pacers.
Because of that, any trade involving Ayton cannot get made until July 14.
“This deal would take some patience, as both sides would need to wait for the one-year trade restriction to expire on July 14. If the rookies originally selected by Indiana sign their contracts, this would extend the wait 30 days as well, meaning Ayton-to-Indiana would likely be completed by the end of July,” Swartz writes.
“If both sides agree ahead of time, however, the Suns would let the Pacers know who to select at 26 and 55 overall, players who eventually give Phoenix more depth to complement Devin Booker and Kevin Durant.”
Myles Turner Could Be Ideal Deandre Ayton Replacement
The trajectory of the Suns franchise has changed vastly since last offseason. Mostly because Ayton is much less of a factor in the Suns’ offense with the addition of Durant. That was on display during the 2023 playoffs as he had to share a significant amount of minutes with Suns backup center Jock Landale.
It is understandable why Ayton could be a bit perturbed about sharing minutes with Landale, an undrafted center, considering the Suns picked him first overall. Swapping Myles Turner for Ayton could alleviate the pressure of trying to keep everyone happy.
Turner is not only a great rim-runner and paint protector like Ayton, but he is a far superior three-point shooter. Last season he shot a scorching 37% from beyond the arc. With the way things are trending under the new ownership of Mat Ishbia, Turner may be the perfect Ayton replacement.