Getty Suns stars Deandre Ayton and Chris Paul
Phoenix Suns point guard Chris Paul and big man Deandre Ayton have been deemed not “untouchable” in future trade talks.
In a March 28 column called “Who Should Be Untouchable On Every NBA Team This Offseason?,” Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley said Kevin Durant and Devin Booker are the only players on the Suns who are untouchable.
“Talent-wise, Booker and Durant rise above the rest of this roster. Frankly, they rise above the majority of this league. A healthy Durant has a credible case as the best player in basketball. Booker has climbed up so far on the NBA ladder he’s running out of rungs,” Buckley wrote. “They aren’t the only players in this discussion for the Phoenix Suns, though. While they could shop Chris Paul or Deandre Ayton, it’s hard to envision finding a better plug-and-play option for either spot. It would more likely involve Ayton than Paul, since the former is younger and plays less of a premium position, but neither seems super likely. Not super likely isn’t the same as impossible, though, and that’s before accounting for how an early playoff exit might impact that likelihood. What if teams dare Paul to consistently score on them, and the 37-year-old can’t? What if Ayton can’t stay on the floor again? The Suns could then be in line for substantial changes this summer, just none that involve Booker or Durant.”
The Suns almost traded Paul to the Brooklyn Nets in February for Kyrie Irving, according to Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report. The Nets wound up trading Irving to the Dallas Mavericks, while Phoenix kept Paul and acquired Durant from Brooklyn. Paul signed a four-year, $120 million contract with the Suns in August 2021.
Ayton tried to leave the Suns last summer by signing a four-year, $132.9 million offer sheet with the Indiana Pacers. However, Phoenix matched Indiana’s offer sheet.
The Suns Can Cut Chris Paul This Summer
The Suns can cut Paul this summer if they want to part ways with him and don’t find a trade partner. The future Hall of Famer’s contract is partially guaranteed for next season.
“The Suns would only be on the hook for about half of Paul’s $30.8 million hit should they cut him before the beginning of the 2023-24 season, as his deal would become fully guaranteed on 6/28/2023,” Donnie Druin of Sports Illustrated wrote in May 2022. “The last year of Paul’s deal would see no guaranteed money attributed to Phoenix’s cap if he’s waived by 6/28/2024. After that date, the deal becomes fully guaranteed.”
Paul is averaging 13.6 points and 9.1 assists this season while shooting 43.2% from the field, 36.2% from beyond the arc and 82.8% from the free-throw line. The 12-time All-Star turns 38 in May.
Deandre Ayton Is Happy to Be Back
March 27 was a solid day for the Suns. Not only did the club defeat the Utah Jazz for their second straight victory, but Ayton also made his return to the lineup after missing four games with a hip injury. In 30 minutes against the Jazz, Ayton put up 14 points and eight rebounds while shooting 5-of-10 from the floor.
“I felt real good man,” Ayton said after the Jazz game. “Obviously, our team has been in motion and doing their thing. I just had to make sure I was prepared so I could fit right in and just run with the offense and run with the flow, let the game come to me.”
Ayton is averaging 18.2 points and 10.1 rebounds this season while shooting 58.8% overall and 75.7% from the charity stripe.