The Phoenix Suns made a potentially disastrous decision when they were unable to come to terms on a rookie extension with Deandre Ayton. Ayton, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, will now become a restricted free agent in the offseason.

That gives the Suns a chance to match any offer sheet that he may sign, but if he receives a max contract from another team, there is a chance Phoenix wouldn’t match. The hold-up in negotiations was that Ayton wanted a max deal, but ownership didn’t believe he was worth that much money.

Will their opinion of Ayton change between now and free agency that they would retain him on a max deal? That uncertainty is what will make these next few months a tenuous time for the organization.

The Suns are coming off of a trip to the NBA Finals and this puts a bit of a damper on it. Ayton was a core piece of that run and his departure would be a tough pill to swallow for the fan base. He is unhappy with how things transpired, which is understandable.

LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Could Suns Make “Surprising” Deandre Ayton Trade?

If Phoenix really is not interested in signing him to a long-term, max deal, someone else will be in free agency. To avoid seeing Ayton depart without getting any compensation, the Suns could consider making a trade involving him.

Here are three players that the Suns should target should they look into trading Ayton before the NBA trade deadline or during the offseason.