Deandre Ayton discussion

[WhyAlwaysMe]

The Suns can match any offer for Ayton and Bridges in 2022/23 as they will be RFAs although it's risky to wait extending them. See Joe Johnson.

I'm hoping the Suns have some bird rights on Cam Payne. The Suns will not have much money to spend in free agency this off season.

Payne is UFA. Suns need to scramble to find the money for him.

 

[WhyAlwaysMe]

I agree, I realize my post almost sounds critical of Ayton. It's really the opposite. He's been so good its a waste to have him guard a spot up shooter like Gasol.

The only benefit is that he is very unlikely to get in foul trouble guarding on the perimeter, and his presence on offense is even more crucial than his considerable presence on defense.

 

[WhyAlwaysMe]

Bridges no but Ayton? Market decides his worth. With flashes during the season and if he keeps this up during the playoffs?

No doubt multiple teams will be lining up with max deals.

Suns can offer the most money for both of them. I don’t think either of them would prefer less money to move to a different team. Non-all stars don’t typically force their way out of elite teams. Neither guy seems like they have that type of personality either.

 

[Hoop Head]

Payne is UFA. Suns need to scramble to find the money for him.

We have early bird rights but they won't help all that much. Basically we can offer the MLE, which should be around $9.5 million or so. So a 3 year $30 million dollar offer could keep him.

Early bird rights only allow us to go over the cap to pay him 175% of his previous salary, which would be around $4 million. So like I said, its not much help. Our mid level exception if our best chance at keeping him. I can see him being offered similar money elsewhere but the main lure would be a starting job. Hopefully the relationship he has with Monty will help us keep him.

 

[Mainstreet]

Deandre Ayton making the case for the max.

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[WhyAlwaysMe]

I'm still against a max extension at this point but if he can keep his play up at the level he's at through 4 postseason games then a max deal makes more sense. Unless he can sustain this through a finals run though I wouldn't give him an extension this summer. He's been too up and down to be rewarded early.

The idea of paying Bridges $20 million a year, or more, has fallen off this postseason. His play is far too inconsistent to warrant that sort of payday. Let the market set his value if he thinks he's worth more than $15 a year.

The only reason not to extend both of them this off-season is if you would prefer to wait to pay the lux tax. I am probing in the dark on the financials here, but according to Spotrac, we are about $12mm under the luxury tax this year.* Sarver has said he would be willing to go over it to field a competitive team, and I believe him given his financial outlay with the practice facility and arena (shared with city but he still spent 8 figs of his own money), and the fact that a great team is very lucrative for him as well.

*with cap holds of $7mm total for Frank/Nader/Craig/Moore/Galloway


I think we let Frank, Nader or Craig, Moore or Galloway walk. That buys us $5mm in space. We still need to free up $7mm more to get below the salary cap.

This is where I think Paul will restructure from $44mm to 2/$75 or something and free up $4mm in cap space for us to find a random Dedmon type guy, then use the MLE to bring back Payne 3/30. Then we either go into luxury tax this year or next year to extend Mikal and Ayton to very large if not max extensions. I prefer doing it now, especially if we beat the Lakers.

Paul/Payne/1st rd pick
Booker/CamJ/Galloway
Bridges/Craig
Crowder/Smith
Ayton/Saric/Dedmon

We spend next year and the following year in the lux tax, but Sarver probably comes out in the black if we continue to be in the elite (which we should). Then we evaluate Summer 2023 when Paul comes off the books.

 

[Covert Rain]

Deandre Ayton making the case for the max.

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Exactly my point as well. If the Suns don't do it? Someone will. With our luck and Arizona teams letting players walk? He will haunt us for the rest of his career.

 

[Mainstreet]

Exactly my point as well. If the Suns don't do it? Someone will. With our luck and Arizona teams letting players walk? He will haunt us for the rest of his career.

With what we have seen, the Suns should give Ayton a max extension this summer. He is a key piece going forward.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Deandre Ayton making the case for the max.

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What is that ranking based up? Not anything we can see.

 

[GoldGloveschmidt]

Ayton will get the max from the Suns and we will have his prime 24-29 year old years

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

What is that ranking based up? Not anything we can see.

It's not a ranking really. Just showing other players in that 20/13 category in the postseason I believe.

 

[WhyAlwaysMe]

What is that ranking based up? Not anything we can see.

38mpg
19ppg
13rpg

in a playoff series

 

[Mainstreet]

What is that ranking based up? Not anything we can see.

It was not clear to me either. It looks good though.

 

[elindholm]

This is where I think Paul will restructure from $44mm to 2/$75 or something

There is no way in hell that the Suns should be paying Paul $35M+ in 2022-23.

 

[Finito]

There is no way in hell that the Suns should be paying Paul $35M+ in 2022-23.

can’t do it at all. Can’t make deals with your heart

 

[elindholm]

can’t do it at all. Can’t make deals with your heart

Huh? Either Paul agrees to an affordable extension, or the Suns don't extend him. What "all" are we trying to do?

 

[Mainstreet]

Chris Paul has a player option next season for $44,211,146. An extension or a new contract only comes into play if he picks up his option.

We've had this conversation before but why not again. What is Paul worth and what would he accept on a multi-year contract?

 

[Mainstreet]

I remember Eddie Johnson saying something to the effect, if a player does a spin move in the lane off contact the referees don't call an offensive foul. This is what Deandre does here.

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[Sunburn]

#1 priority this off-season (assuming Paul opts-in or extends) is resigning Cameron Payne. As a 25 year old rising UFA he is going to command a large sum. I don’t know the cap mechanics work exactly, but I know we can go over the cap to resign Ayton/Bridges after 2022, and it’s absolutely imperative that we bring back Payne.

I would not blink at 3/35.

Salary cap question. I believe we do not have bird rights to Payne since he has played for us for less than 3 years. We're over the salary cap for 2021 2022. How do we re-sign him?

https://www.basketball-reference.com/contracts/PHO.html

 

[taz02]

9 mil for saric!!!

 

[Finito]

Huh? Either Paul agrees to an affordable extension, or the Suns don't extend him. What "all" are we trying to do?

i was talking about the guys that want to extend Paul. Listen I love the guy but you can’t give him big money past his current contract that’s just not smart that’s an emotional move.

 

[WhyAlwaysMe]

Salary cap question. I believe we do not have bird rights to Payne since he has played for us for less than 3 years. We're over the salary cap for 2021 2022. How do we re-sign him?

https://www.basketball-reference.com/contracts/PHO.html

We can only go over the cap using MLE (3/30). He should get better offers elsewhere.

Barring major restructuring I think we are drawing thin to keeping him.

 

[Mainstreet]

It would be a shame to lose Cam Payne. He seems so happy here.

 

[Sunburn]

We can only go over the cap using MLE (3/30). He should get better offers elsewhere.

Barring major restructuring I think we are drawing thin to keeping him.

Well crap. That would be a huge loss.

 

[Sunburn]

I remember Eddie Johnson saying something to the effect, if a player does a spin move in the lane off contact the referees don't call an offensive foul. This is what Deandre does here.

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I love the highlight. I thought that was a technical though if a player hangs on to the rim and slaps the backboard like that.

 

[GatorAZ]

9 mil for saric!!!

AND to think he was effective enough to close games earlier in the season. Something up with him mentally.