Under the leadership of new owner Mat Ishbia, the Suns have completed a near-complete roster overhaul with the acquisition of Kevin Durant in February and Bradley Beal in June.
As different as things look in Phoenix, the franchise might not be done yet.
According to NBA insider Marc Stein, the Suns "engaged in advanced discussions" to send former No. 1 overall pick Deandre Ayton to the Mavericks in a deal that gained traction ahead of the NBA Draft on June 22. While talks of the proposed deal ultimately stalled, Stein added that "sources with knowledge of the Phoenix/Dallas trade discussions said a resumption of the Ayton talks could not be ruled out."
As it stands, Ayton is one of just five Suns players on a guaranteed contract for the upcoming season, the others being Durant, Beal, Devin Booker and newly-acquired forward Isaiah Todd.
According to Stein, Phoenix would have received Tim Hardaway Jr., Richaun Holmes and JaVale McGee in the trade, filling out a roster that currently is very thin.
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Why Deandre Ayton trade between Suns-Mavericks fell through
Stein reports that the Suns were not interested in McGee being included in the deal.
Phoenix's aversion to receiving McGee in return is especially interesting given his history with the franchise. During the 2021-22 season, McGee averaged 9.2 points and 6.7 rebounds over 74 games as Ayton's backup with the Suns.
McGee also has familiarity with new Suns head coach Frank Vogel, with whom he won a championship as a member of the Lakers in 2020.
There is a financial component with the 35-year-old McGee, who is owed $11.7 over the next two seasons. Phoenix could seek more financial flexibility in order to fill out its roster even more, as the franchise has started the process of working out players that could come in on a veteran's minimum deal.
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Deandre Ayton contract details
In the 2022 offseason, Ayton signed a four-year $132.9 million offer sheet with the Pacers, which was matched by the Suns. Ayton has three years remaining on his contract with no player or team options.
Ayton, who will turn 25 in July, is owed $102.1 million over the next three seasons.
| Season | Salary |
| 2023-24 | $32.5 million |
| 2024-25 | $34.0 million |
| 2025-26 | $35.6 million |
| 2026-27 | UFA |
This upcoming season, Ayton ($32.5M), Booker ($36.0M), Beal ($46.7M) and Durant ($47.6M) account for $162.8 million of Phoenix's total salary. In the 2024-25 season, Booker enters the first year of a supermax extension, increasing his annual salary by over $15 million.
MORE: How Bradley Beal trade impacts Suns salary cap for next season and beyond
Deandre Ayton 2022-23 season stats
- 18.0 points per game
- 10.0 rebounds per game
- 1.7 assists per game
- 0.8 blocks per game
- 58.9 percent field goal shooting
- 76.0 percent free throw shooting
