Suns' Top Options Amid Rumors Deandre Ayton Won't Be Traded in NBA Free Agency

The Phoenix Suns aren't trading Deandre Ayton after all, leaving them with few avenues to upgrade the supporting cast of their star-laden roster.

Bleacher Report's Chris Haynes reported Sunday that the Suns intend to keep Ayton. Many thought dealing the young center was the best avenue through which to help improve the roster around Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and the newly acquired Bradley Beal.

Instead, Phoenix will be running a $175.1 million payroll before making any new signings this offseason. The Suns project to go over the $182.5 million second apron once they round out their roster, which means they won't even have the $5 million taxpayer mid-level exception at their disposal. They'll only be able to offer veteran-minimum contracts to external free agents.

As a result, general manager James Jones will have to shop at the bottom end of the free-agent market.

If he's willing to take a pay cut, Dennis Schröder could help to address Phoenix's need for another point guard following Chris Paul's departure. Dennis Smith Jr., Reggie Jackson and Cory Joseph would serve the same purpose while perhaps fitting more within the team's budget.

Power forward or small-ball 5 might be an area of concern for Jones as well. Kevin Love or Georges Niang would check that box.

Either Montrezl Harrell or Mason Plumlee would bring a post presence to help back up Ayton at center, with Mike Muscala a stretch big if the Suns preferred that archetype off the bench. Any of the three could be willing to sacrifice some money to chase a title.

Retaining Ayton probably means Phoenix will place an even higher premium on re-signing its free agents.

ESPN's Brian Windhorst wrote on June 18 the team is "likely to try" to keep Torrey Craig, Josh Okogie, Damion Lee, Jock Landale, Bismack Biyombo and Terrence Ross. Cameron Payne, who has a $6.5 million partially guaranteed salary, will "almost assuredly" stick around, too.

Haynes' report isn't a total about-face from Suns because it was always one of the possible outcomes to this saga.

But the Philadelphia Inquirer's Keith Pompey reported as recently as Saturday that Phoenix had targeted Philadelphia 76ers star Tobias Harris in a trade that would've sent Ayton out of town. Conversations never really got off the ground because Philly didn't want Ayton or any of the Suns' other pieces.

It's easy to see the logic behind Jones' bold gambit because acquiring Durant ahead of the 2023 trade deadline was the big all-in move. This was going to be a top-heavy roster with a payroll near or exceeding the luxury tax anyway. Beal's arrival didn't fundamentally change much.

In addition, there was a very small window to swing a blockbuster deal before the new collective bargaining agreement tied the front office's hands for the foreseeable future.

Maybe there's a dramatic turn of events between now and opening night that sees an Ayton trade go back on the table. Absent that, Jones and his fellow Suns officials might have to work overtime in order to entice prospective free agents to leave money on the table and sign on for Phoenix's project.