Suns Should Trade Deandre Ayton, Add Depth for Title Chase amid Latest NBA Rumors
The Phoenix Suns should be a top championship contender in the NBA during the 2023-24 season. How could they not be? Their roster is filled with top talent such as Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal, who was acquired from the Washington Wizards in a three-team trade.
There's also Deandre Ayton. But it's not a guarantee the center will be back in Phoenix for the upcoming campaign.
The 24-year-old has been featured in plenty of trade rumors again this offseason, and it even seemed likely he was going to be dealt at one point.
The Suns were reportedly having discussions with the Dallas Mavericks regarding Ayton around the time of the 2023 NBA draft on June 22, and NBA insider Marc Stein reported that a resumption of those talks "could not be ruled out."
According to Chris Haynes of B/R and TNT, Phoenix has been "moving forward with the plan" of keeping Ayton to play alongside its new big three of Durant, Booker and Beal. It would be quite a stacked starting lineup.
However, Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated reported the Suns have discussed Ayton with several teams, including the Mavs, and they've been "seeking multiple rotation players" in return to "to flesh out a top-heavy roster."
"While Ayton talks have cooled in the last few days, don't be surprised if they pick up again over the next few weeks," Mannix wrote.
It would be wise for Phoenix to reengage teams, for the same reason it was doing so in the first place.
The Suns have a great championship-caliber core, but their roster is now lacking depth. They're going to need a solid bench to make a deep run through the playoffs next year, and as of now, they may not quite have that.
By parting with Ayton, Phoenix could add the type of complementary players needed to support Durant, Booker and Beal. Those bench pieces would take on valuable roles the Suns need filled.
Ayton should bring a decent return, too. He's still early in his NBA career, and he's been a good player over his first five seasons. During the 2022-23 campaign, he averaged 18 points and 10 rebounds in 67 games.
Whether it's Dallas or another team, there should be adequate interest in Ayton for Phoenix to get a deal done. But the Suns should be a bit picky, as they won't want to part with a player like Ayton unless they're sure they're getting players who can help lead them to an NBA title.
As long as Phoenix is smart and ensures it's getting the right players back in a deal, it would be wise to make an Ayton trade happen.
Maybe it's not the best move for the long term, but the Suns have a championship window open and need to operate in win-now mode, like they have been with their recent acquisitions of Durant and Beal.
