The Ayton Plan

[Hoop Head]

He played his best when it mattered most. Doncic and Young don't play a lick of D, and haven't taken a team nearly as far as Ayton.

Trae Young lead his team in the Eastern Conference finals with a series lead before he got injured at the same time Ayton helped the Suns get past the Clippers. Trae Young carried Atlanta through a huge postseason run as the man on his team while Ayton anchored our defense. To say he hasn't been nearly as far is just false. If not for Young's injury then I believe the Suns would have met the Hawks in the finals. Trae missed games 4 and 5 before he attempted a return in game 6.

 

[95pro]

They say defense wins championships.

The jazz have bet on Gobert and didnt reach the finals. The Bucks bet on Giannis and won.

BUT there's a huge difference between the two, it is miles, and that what makes it worth paying Giannis the max and not to guys like Gobert and Ayton.
All we mention is Ayton's defense in the finals. Those other two guys are DPOY guys.

Paying Ayton the max will be a mistake.

 

[Covert Rain]

Robert Sarver on Arizona Sports. He believes James Jones is still in talks with Ayton's agent.

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"Something that works for both sides". That sure sounds like "we don't want to give you what you are asking for". It's not like Ayton's camp has a ton of negotiation room here. How far apart could they be?

 

[Sunburn]

They say defense wins championships.

The jazz have bet on Gobert and didnt reach the finals. The Bucks bet on Giannis and won.

BUT there's a huge difference between the two, it is miles, and that what makes it worth paying Giannis the max and not to guys like Gobert and Ayton.
All we mention is Ayton's defense in the finals. Those other two guys are DPOY guys.

Paying Ayton the max will be a mistake.

Ayton is more dynamic than Gobert. The Clippers were not able to nullify Ayton the way they were able to nullify Gobert. Giannis is worthy of a super max. Ayton is worthy of a max.

 

[AZ Native]

I remember hearing him say this 3 years ago.

Ayton: NBA success is getting to 2nd contract

Deandre Ayton said Wednesday that "getting to my second contract" would be his definition of NBA success and would likely mean his team was thriving as well.

www.espn.com

 

[1Sun]

And there is nothing there that indicates what the hold up is. Again you are choosing to make things up to fit a narrative that you created to crap on the Suns. Why am I not surprised?

What part of "ownership's current assertion that Ayton doesn't deserve to be in that group of players" and "the Phoenix Suns' reluctance to offer a maximum rookie contract extension" do you not understand?

 

[Mainstreet]

"Something that works for both sides". That sure sounds like "we don't want to give you what you are asking for". It's not like Ayton's camp has a ton of negotiation room here. How far apart could they be?

It could be something like whether the 5th season is a player option.

 

[Hoop Head]

What part of "ownership's current assertion that Ayton doesn't deserve to be in that group of players" and "the Phoenix Suns' reluctance to offer a maximum rookie contract extension" do you not understand?

You specifically said Woj claimed that Sarver was unwilling to offer a max contract. Nowhere does it state it. What you quoted here doesn't mean that. It's rather vague, actually. It could be a number of things considering the players listed all have different deals. Luka has the super max, I believe Trae does also. Luka also has option years. Shai's deal is a straight max with no options, and MPJ's is a max with super max escalators and the final year isn't guaranteed. So it's actually a bit questionable that they paint them in the same way. If it was strictly money then that would be said but it's not.

Quit trying to read between the lines and reporting your view as fact.

 

[AzStevenCal]

They say defense wins championships.

The jazz have bet on Gobert and didnt reach the finals. The Bucks bet on Giannis and won.

BUT there's a huge difference between the two, it is miles, and that what makes it worth paying Giannis the max and not to guys like Gobert and Ayton.
All we mention is Ayton's defense in the finals. Those other two guys are DPOY guys.

Paying Ayton the max will be a mistake.

And after the Bucks lost in the finals their first time there were people saying they'd never win it with him as their star.

Gobert's ceiling seems set but we have no idea what DA can become. He still has a lot to learn but Ayton has the physical gifts to be the best 2 way center in the game if he's willing to put in the work. You have to pay the max to a player with that kind of potential unless the coaching staff is convinced he'll never get there. And even if it turns out to be an overpay, unless DA just mails it in from here on out, it won't be much of an overpay.

 

[95pro]

Ayton is more dynamic than Gobert. The Clippers were not able to nullify Ayton the way they were able to nullify Gobert. Giannis is worthy of a super max. Ayton is worthy of a max.

I agree. I realize that they couldn't do to Ayton what they did to Ayton.

Like i said earlier, it is a conundrum. He will get the max and is worth the max. But as i also said, it will be a mistake.

edit: i should add, mistake as in crippling us financially which will not allow us to keep our depth we've been having the luxury of having.

 

[Hoop Head]

Gobert is a bad comparison for Ayton. Of course Utah had to pay max money to retain him, it's Utah. Nobody is staying there unless they're overpaid, especially when Gobert signed his extension. He was also the DPOY when he extended. If Ayton were the DPOY last year, or on an All-Star, All-NBA, or All-Defense team then sure, but he wasn't.


There are other guys to compare him to that make more sense but saying Gobert got the max from Utah isn't a great comparison.

 

[Covert Rain]

It could be something like whether the 5th season is a player option.

Player options, bonus and incentives are part of most contracts.

 

[Mainstreet]

Player options, bonus and incentives are part of most contracts.

This is why negotiations can drag on not that I like it because I don't.

 

[Hoop Head]

Player options, bonus and incentives are part of most contracts.

Booker's max was straight max, no options, bonuses, or incentives.

Bonuses and incentives aren't that normal. Escalators are for rookie deals, bumping them from regular to super max, but that has to deal with whether players meet the eligibility requirements.

 

[Covert Rain]

Booker's max was straight max, no options, bonuses, or incentives.

Bonuses and incentives aren't that normal. Escalators are for rookie deals, bumping them from regular to super max, but that has to deal with whether players meet the eligibility requirements.

Based on what? I see them part of contract extensions all the time.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Player options....are part of most contracts.

If you're just talking player options, I don't think that's the case. I don't think it's all that common for rookie scale contract extensions and in this case, no way should Ayton qualify for it IMO.

With his up and down play and "all I care about is money" kind of comments, a player option seems risky for us. If the option year is the holdup and Ayton's camp absolutely won't budge, we should be thinking about trade partners over the next two years or hold him for a sign and trade when his 5 years are up.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Based on what? I see them part of contract extensions all the time.

I think you'll find they are rarely in play for a player with just 3 years in the league. Later, when the player is fully established, that might change but they don't have the leverage this early in their careers.

 

[Mainstreet]

If you're just talking player options, I don't think that's the case. I don't think it's all that common for rookie scale contract extensions and in this case, no way should Ayton qualify for it IMO.

With his up and down play and "all I care about is money" kind of comments, a player option seems risky for us. If the option year is the holdup and Ayton's camp absolutely won't budge, we should be thinking about trade partners over the next two years or hold him for a sign and trade when his 5 years are up.

Yeah. The 4th and 5th seasons are when teams make their money back on 5 year extensions when salaries escalate.

 

[Covert Rain]

I think you'll find they are rarely in play for a player with just 3 years in the league. Later, when the player is fully established, that might change but they don't have the leverage this early in their careers.

Not true for players that are considered towards the top in their positions. As I stated, I see it all the time. Maybe not for the average rookie contract.

 

[Hoop Head]

Based on what? I see them part of contract extensions all the time.

Based on contracts you see signed regularly. Look around at various deals on Spotrac.com and they list contract details for all players and all teams. You see more straight deals than incentived because of how incentives work in the NBA, which you can read up on at CBAFAQ.com Options are more common than bonuses but most deals don't contain that I've seen.

 

[TJ]

At this point, I would be stunned if Ayton is extended by the 18th.

 

[GatorAZ]

Flex the flip flopping insider:

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[Cheesebeef]

Flex the flip flopping insider:

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What crap did he throw against the wall that slid down this time?

 

[GatorAZ]

What crap did he throw against the wall that slid down this time?

How motivated Ayton will be to have a monster year if the deal doesn’t happen.

 

[AZ Native]

At this point, I would be stunned if Ayton is extended by the 18th.

I doubt it too. His numbers for the last 3 years have been good. I'm not sure how to describe it but he looked so pedestrian while putting up those numbers. He looked like he wasn't giving 100% but I have always liked the guy. In fact the last jersey I bought before his was Barkley's. What I saw from him in the playoffs was very impressive (not so much for games 3-6 in the finals) but still he looked like a different player. Where was that the last 3 years? He is so young and has played basketball for a relatively short time so if he gives the effort the sky is the limit.