There has been a lot of reaction to the Phoenix Suns’ decision to play hardball with NBA star Deandre Ayton during negotiations on a contract extension. The Suns drew a hard line and wouldn’t cross it, so a deal was not reached.
Ayton, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft out of Arizona, has come along nicely in the first three seasons in his career. He was great during the team’s playoff run and it seemed like a foregone conclusion that he would sign a max extension.
Alas, Phoenix ownership doesn’t believe that Ayton is worth the max. A healthy debate can be had about that, but given the position that the team is currently in, it is a really bad look for the organization.
The Suns just made a trip to the NBA Finals, losing to the Milwaukee Bucks in six games. They retained all of their key free agents in free agency, but they will now have this decision to not extend Ayton looming over them, creating an uncertain future.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: 3 Teams That Should Keep Tabs On Suns’ DeAndre Ayton Trade
It was a decision that an NBA executive cannot believe that the team made. The executive made the following comment on the HoopsHype Podcast.
“That owner (Robert Sarver) is cheap, and he’ll get killed for it again. He finally had some goodwill making the Finals, and he pulls this (not extending Ayton). The fact is the kid earned it. Yes, prior to last season, I’d have questions about it, but he performed the whole season, and you invested a number one pick in him. He was a little bit, maybe, slow to develop, but he got there. I don’t think he’s mature enough to handle stuff like that (no extension), so I think it could hurt him for a while. Monty (Williams) seems to have a way with him, so maybe they can pull him back in and say, “Do your job and get paid.”
Being cheap and hard balling players is not something new to Robert Sarver and the Suns. Back in 2005, he did it to Joe Johnson, who had some words to share on social media once the situation with Ayton unfolded as it did.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: 3 Teams That Should Keep Tabs On Suns’ DeAndre Ayton Trade
It was a major risk for the Phoenix Suns, who are now going to have to compete with other teams to retain Deandre Ayton in free agency. They have the luxury of being able to match any offer sheet that he signs, but if he gets a max from another team, it is hard to imagine them agreeing to it then if they remain so hesitant to do so now.
