Suns Confident They Can Deal Deandre Ayton?
With the Suns on the verge of acquiring Bradley Beal from the Wizards, Phoenix has virtually depleted its trade assets. They still have one more big trade chip left, if they choose to deal center Deandre Ayton.
While they may have to exercise patience, there’s confidence within the Suns organization that they can deal Ayton, an unnamed league executive tells Heavy.com’s Sean Deveney.
Currently, interest around the league is Ayton is modest because he’s not a priority for potential trade partners. That could change after the draft and once the dominoes start to fall during free agency.
The Suns matched the Pacers’ offer sheet last year for Ayton when he was a restricted free agent. Ayton had three years left on that four-year, $132.9MM contract. He’ll make approximately $32.46MM next season, $34MM in 2024/25 and $35.55MM on 2025/26.
Ayton averaged 18 points and 10 rebounds this past season. However, he’d be an afterthought in an offense featuring Beal, Devin Booker and Kevin Durant and probably wouldn’t be thrilled with a reduced role.
Strapped by max contracts, Phoenix might try to parlay Ayton for two or more quality role players. Deveney lists the Bulls, Mavericks, Hornets, Pacers and Trail Blazers as potential landing spots, while acknowledging that acquiring Ayton isn’t of great importance for any of those franchises at the moment.
Southwest Notes: Wembanyama, Williamson, Ingram, Jones
The Spurs are hopeful that Victor Wembanyama will participate to some degree in the Las Vegas Summer League, Marc Stein writes in a Substack post.
A previous report suggested Wembanyama would likely only practice with the Summer League team, as the Spurs want to give him some time off from competitive action following his French league season. It’s unclear if Stein is suggesting that Wembanyama might see some game action after all.
Wembanyama will be the top pick in the draft on Thursday after the Spurs won the lottery. They are scheduled to play in Sacramento’s California Classic summer league July 3-5 before heading to Las Vegas.
We have more from the Southwest Division:
- While rumors have been flying that the Pelicans might consider dealing Zion Williamson or Brandon Ingram this offseason, Rod Walker of the New Orleans Times-Picayune believes the franchise would be better off holding onto them and hoping for better results next season. While the team reportedly has interest in trading up in the draft to select G League guard Scoot Henderson, the Pelicans with Williamson and Ingram are better than they would be with either the Henderson/Williamson or the Henderson/Ingram combo, Walker opines.
- Ja Morant‘s 25-game suspension makes it a tougher decision for the Grizzlies to trade backup point guard Tyus Jones for help on the wing, Damichael Cole of the Memphis Commercial Appeal opines. If the Grizzlies trade Jones, they’ll have to find another starting point guard to hold them over until Morant’s suspension ends. However, finding an upgrade at small forward will be more difficult if they hold onto Jones, who has one year left on his contract. Even if they keep Jones, they still need more depth at guard.
- In case you missed it, the Rockets might make a strong run at free agent point guard Fred VanVleet.
Central Notes: Pistons’ Lottery Pick, Stewart, Pacers, Crowder
It’s more likely that the Pistons will trade down in the draft than use the No. 5 overall pick to acquire a veteran player, according to James Edwards III of The Athletic. However, all options remain on the table for general manager Troy Weaver and his staff as the draft approaches.
If the Pistons keep the pick, they’ll be looking at five players that they recently worked out, barring some unforeseen development. Brothers Amen Thompson and Ausar Thompson (Overtime Elite), Cam Whitmore (Villanova), Jarace Walker (Houston) and Taylor Hendricks (Central Florida) are the potential targets at that spot, Edwards says.
According to Edwards, Ausar Thompson has fans in the Pistons’ front office, as he’s more of a wing player than his brother, though both provide athleticism and size. Hendricks may seem like a bit of a long shot at that spot but he made a strong impression with the Pistons’ brass, particularly with his shooting, Edwards adds.
We have more Central Division news:
- In the same piece, Edwards reports that the Pistons have been fielding calls from numerous teams on big man Isaiah Stewart. As previously reported, one of those teams is the Celtics, who are looking to upgrade their frontcourt. Stewart’s defensive versatility and improving perimeter game intrigues many teams around the league. However, he was part of Weaver’s first draft class and it would be surprising if the Pistons moved on from Stewart, says Edwards, adding that it’s more likely the Pistons will sign the 22-year-old big man to a rookie scale extension. It would be the first time since Andre Drummond that a drafted Pistons player has signed a rookie extension with the franchise.
- The Pacers are looking at two more draft prospects on Monday — forwards Toumani Camara (Dayton) and Maxwell Lewis (Pepperdine), Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files tweets. Lewis is ranked No. 31 on ESPN’s Best Available list and he could be a candidate for either of Indiana’s two late first-round selections (Nos. 26 and No. 29) or early second-rounder (No. 32). Camara is ranked No. 52.
- The coaching change in Milwaukee might alter the equation, but Jae Crowder‘s future with the Bucks is cloudy at best, according to Eric Nehm of The Athletic. Crowder will be an unrestricted free agent unless he agrees to an extension before free agency begins. Crowder has been searching for a big payday — a big reason why he sought a trade from Phoenix — and he probably won’t get that from Milwaukee.
Chris Paul Could Return To Clippers As Wizards Pursue Third Team
The Wizards are fielding offers to re-route Chris Paul to a contender, which is why the blockbuster trade with the Suns may take a few days to be officially completed, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski tweets.
Phoenix is in the process of acquiring star wing Bradley Beal, with the Wizards expected to receive Paul, Landry Shamet, multiple second-round picks, and multiple pick swaps in the trade. The parameters of the trade could be altered somewhat if a third team is involved.
The Clippers are expected to pursue a reunion with Paul, according to Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report and TNT (Twitter link). As Yossi Gozlan of HoopsHype notes (Twitter link), the Clippers would need to send out $22.6MM to match salaries for Paul.
That could be achieved in a number of ways. Eric Gordon ($20.9MM non-guaranteed), Marcus Morris ($17.1MM), Robert Covington ($11.7MM), Nicolas Batum ($11.7MM), Amir Coffey ($3.7MM) and Bones Hyland ($2.3MM) are some of the salaries the Clippers could combine to make it happen.
If the Clippers were to acquire Paul, it would seemingly extinguish the possibility of re-signing Russell Westbrook, who will be an unrestricted free agent. It would also set up an intriguing three-star core group with Paul distributing to Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. Paul played for the Clippers from 2011-17.
The Wizards could actually sign off on the original two-team deal and then try to flip Paul, but they have incentive to wait, John Hollinger of The Athletic tweets. A three-team swap could create a larger trade exception for Washington, particularly if one of the players they receive fits into the $6.3MM trade exception they possess as a result of trading Rui Hachimura to the Lakers last season.
Nuggets Notes: Murray, Irving, Smith, Williams, Braun, Watson, Anunoby
The Nuggets’ path to the championship was a testament to perseverance and patience. They didn’t panic when they fell short in previous postseasons, nor did they feel the need to replace coach Michael Malone. They were rewarded this season but there was some measure of luck involved. ESPN’s Zach Lowe (Insider link) offers some sourced nuggets on the Nuggets, sharing details about the steps along the way to the first title in franchise history. Here are some of the highlights from Lowe’s story:
- The Nuggets never seriously considered trading Jamal Murray as he rehabbed from his ACL injury but former executive Tim Connelly approached Malone five or six years ago to say that Murray could be moved for a high-profile veteran player or two. Kyrie Irving, who requested a trade from the Cavaliers during the 2017 offseason, was one of the players Denver considered acquiring in a Murray deal, but the team ultimately decided against pursuing Irving.
- The Nuggets had an opportunity to move journeyman point guard Ish Smith prior to this season’s trade deadline, but coaches and players lobbied the front office to keep him. Smith didn’t play much but he proved to be a powerful influence behind the scenes, including mimicking the Heat’s playbook as part of Denver’s scout team at Finals practices.
- General manager Calvin Booth considered trading up to the No. 10 spot — held by the Wizards — in last year’s draft with the idea of selecting Jalen Williams. The Nuggets also considered moving up later in the lottery to nab Christian Braun, even though he was projected as a late first-rounder. They got him anyway at No. 21. They were also concerned that the Warriors would take Peyton Watson with the No. 28 pick. Golden State passed on Watson and Denver grabbed him at No. 30.
- In one of the few mistakes they made, the Nuggets traded down from No. 13 to No. 24 in the 2017 draft — the 13th pick turned out to be Donovan Mitchell. Denver had considered taking OG Anunoby at that spot but felt he was a reach at that point in the draft. Anunoby came off the board at No. 23 and the Nuggets wound up with long-forgotten Tyler Lydon with the next pick.
Raptors Notes: Rajakovic, VanVleet, Draft Pick, Green
Raptors president of basketball operations Masai Ujiri felt the organization needed a change, and surprise coaching choice Darko Rajakovic is just what he was looking for, according to Ian Harrison of The Associated Press.
“I know it’s change and sometimes change is hard, but we believe change is good, and change is good for our ball club and our organization now,” Ujiri said during the coach’s introductory press conference.
GM Bobby Webster said Rajakovic wasn’t the favorite going into the process but won over everyone in the organization, Josh Lewenberg of TSN Sports tweets.
“We were really open minded with the approach to who we wanted to look at and every step of the way he really exceeded expectations and impressed us,” Webster said.
We have more on the Raptors:
- Now that Fred VanVleet has declined his player option, where might he wind up? Cap space teams like the the Rockets, Magic and Lakers could be viable options for the combo guard, Eric Koreen of The Athletic writes. The number of other suitors could pursue a sign-and-trade for VanVleet, including the Bulls, though that could be contingent on whether the Raptors value former lottery pick Patrick Williams.
- The Raptors hold the No. 13 pick in the draft and Doug Smith of the Toronto Star takes a closer look at which players they might consider at that spot. With Gary Trent Jr. expected to become a free agent, a wing like Cason Wallace, Kobe Bufkin, Keyonte George, Gradey Dick and Bilal Coulibaly could serve as his replacement.
- Former Raptors guard Danny Green saw head coaching potential from Rajakovic while rehabbing with the Grizzlies from a knee injury, Lewenberg writes. “He operated like a head coach. He’s very good at breaking things down and talking to the group in that manner,” Green said. “Certain people you can look at and say ‘I could never see them as a head coach’, or ‘He doesn’t seem sure of himself’, or not yet anyway. But I could see him being in that role.”
- The hiring of Rajakovic points to the Raptors building around a younger roster with Scottie Barnes, OG Anunoby and Jakob Poeltl at the core, Toronto Star columnist Bruce Arthur opines.
Atlantic Notes: Knicks, Paul, Pritchard, Harris, Sixers’ Draft
Acquiring Chris Paul doesn’t make sense for the Knicks, Steve Popper of Newsday argues. Paul, who has a partially guaranteed contract, is expected to be traded or waived within the next couple weeks.
While the Knicks are in the market for another star player, a backcourt of Paul and Jalen Brunson would be undersized and create other issues, Popper writes. Ideally, Paul could be a sixth man, but the much younger Immanuel Quickley holds that distinction and just finished second in the Sixth Man of the Year balloting.
We have more from the Atlantic Division:
- Payton Pritchard will be a restricted free agent next summer and rival teams are keeping tabs on the Celtics point guard, who is seeking more playing time, according to Steve Bulpett of Heavy.com, who spoke to multiple executives about Pritchard’s value. The 25-year-old’s $4MM salary for next season could be included as part of a bigger trade. He was disappointed when he wasn’t dealt prior to the February trade deadline.
- Beyond James Harden‘s free agency, the second most pressing question for the Sixers is what to do with Tobias Harris, Rich Hofmann wrote for The Athletic. Harris’ $39.3MM expiring contract could provide cap relief next summer and help Philadelphia avoid the punitive penalties for tax teams in the new CBA. However, it could also be used in a trade to acquire a young talent with a multi-year contract or several players to fortify their depth.
- The Sixers don’t have a draft pick next week and Kyle Neubeck of PhillyVoice.com points out just how unusual that is. The franchise has made at least one selection every year for 73 straight years. The Jazz currently own the Sixers’ first-round pick and Philadelphia had to forfeit its second-rounder due to tampering charges last summer, stemming from the additions of P.J. Tucker and Danuel House Jr.
Draft Notes: Rockets, Thompsons, Black, Green Room Invites, Osunniyi, Burton
The Rockets hold the No. 4 pick and they were visited this week by three candidates who could potentially be selected at that spot. The Overtime Elite brother duo of Amen Thompson and Ausar Thompson and Arkansas’ Anthony Black met with Houston’s brass. Amen and Ausar are currently ranked No. 4 and No. 5, respectively, on ESPN’s Best Available list with Black slotted at No. 8. The Thompsons reportedly met recently with the Pistons, who hold the No. 5 pick. They’ve also visited the Hornets (No. 2) and Trail Blazers (No. 3). There has been much less intel on Black’s pre-draft visits.
We have more draft-related info:
- Green Room invites have been sent out and the first batch includes Victor Wembanyama, Brandon Miller, Scoot Henderson, the Thompson twins, Cam Whitmore, Jarace Walker, Black, Taylor Hendricks and Gradey Dick. The second group to receive invites include Bilal Coulibaly, Cason Wallace, Nick Smith, Dereck Lively, Kobe Bufkin, Jalen Hood-Schifino, Jett Howard, Jordan Hawkins and Keyonte George, according to ESPN’s Jonathan Givony (Twitter links).
- Iowa State big man Osun Osunniyi will work out for the Hawks on Wednesday, according to Adam Zagoria (Twitter link). He has also visited the Bulls, Spurs and Celtics, among others. He averaged 8.2 points and 3.9 rebounds last season.
- The Hawks are also working out Pittsburgh guard Jamarius Burton on Wednesday, Lauren Williams of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution tweets. The All-ACC First Team selection will soon visit the Celtics.
Pacific Notes: Ayton, VanVleet, Paul, Lakers’ Workouts
Deandre Ayton is believed to be a prime trade candidate but new Suns coach Frank Vogel feels he can get more out of the enigmatic center, he told Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated.
“I have history with having great success with the elite rim protectors and with bigs in general. And I feel like I can take a lot of those lessons and use them to help restore Deandre to a place of prominence in this organization and in this league,” Vogel said. “He obviously has an immense amount of talent, and the talent fits the way I have played throughout my career. So I think he can be in an elite, dominant, defensive center in my system.”
We have more from the Pacific Division:
- Fred VanVleet‘s decision to decline his player option could influence how the Suns handle the Chris Paul situation, according to Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic. The Suns could have a dynamic backcourt for years to come if they could land VanVleet in a sign-and-trade with the Raptors, but they first have to figure whether they’ll waive, retain, or trade Paul, who has a partially guaranteed contract.
- Speaking of Paul, Gerald Bourguet of GoPhnx.com explores 10 hypothetical trades the Suns could make involving their aging future Hall of Famer. Bourguet ultimately concludes it’s more likely that teams would rather wait to see if Paul is waived and then bid for his services.
- Big man Adama Sanogo of national champion UConn was among the draft prospects who worked out for the Lakers on Tuesday, ESPN’s Dave McMenamin tweets. Taevion Kinsey (Marshall), Taylor Funk (Utah St), Tosan Evbuomwan (Princeton) and Nathan Mensah (San Diego State) were among the other visitors.
Hoops Rumors Chat Transcript: 6/13/2023
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