NBA Trade Rumors: Phoenix Suns can reconsider sending Deandre Ayton to Mavericks
Over the past few weeks, Phoenix Suns Deandre Ayton has popped up in countless trade rumors. Despite all the buzz, a deal has yet to surface.
Since Deandre Ayton's name has been in rumors, the Dallas Mavericks have been commonly linked to him. According to one NBA Insider, a deal between the two teams almost happened during the draft earlier this week.
In a recent installment of his newsletter, Marc Stein detailed a potential Ayton trade to the Mavericks that fell apart. The Phoenix Suns would have acquired multiple depth pieces but didn't want to take on one of Dallas' veterans.
"The Phoenix Suns engaged in advanced discussions to trade former No. 1 overall pick Deandre Ayton to the Dallas Mavericks last week during the NBA Draft before the talks stalled, league sources say."
"The proposed deal, sources tell The Stein Line, would have sent Ayton to Dallas for Tim Hardaway Jr., Richaun Holmes and JaVale McGee — but the Suns balked at McGee’s inclusion. Sources with knowledge of the Phoenix/Dallas trade discussions said a resumption of the Ayton talks could not be ruled out."
Deandre Ayton, 24, is coming off a season with the Suns where he averaged 18.0 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 1.7 assists.
Should the Phoenix Suns have taken this trade for Deandre Ayton?
For a team that needs depth, it's perhaps surprising to see that the Phoenix Suns turned this offer down. They would have solidified their frontcourt and brought in a three-point shooting wing that could help them on the perimeter.
After moving on from Chris Paul to bring in Bradley Beal, the Suns are looking to contend for titles right now. If they're going to do so, they'll need depth and experience around the trio of Beal, Devin Booker, and Kevin Durant.
That being said, it's surprising to see that JaVale McGee was the piece that made this fall apart.
Not only is McGee a former champion, but he's had success with Phoenix in the past. In his lone season with the team, he averaged 9.2 points and 6.7 rebounds off the bench.
As for the Dallas Mavericks, it makes sense why they continue to try and work out a deal for Deandre Ayton. He is on a similar timeline as Luka Doncic and could provide the frontcourt stability they've been looking for.
Ayton is an effective scorer at the center position and could be a great partner for Doncic in the pick-and-roll.
With the offseason still in its early stages, there is a lot of time for these two sides to work out a deal.