I just don’t see Jones offering 5/172 especially with Cam being eligible this offseason and will get a Mikal contract +/-. I also see a situation in which Ayton wants to go somewhere where he’s the guaranteed #1 or #2 scoring option, and for a perimeter-oriented offense, he’s never going to have that opportunity.
The rules have changed, other teams can no longer compete contractually in this kind of situation - their max is lower, their number of years is lower and their annual raises are lower. And IMO the writing is on the wall, Ayton will be the number 2 scorer once CP3 retires.
I know that the rules greatly benefit the Suns keeping him, but again, it becomes the same story as last summer: Does Jones want to give him that fifth year that Ayton has refused to budge from? I cant say with any degree of confidence that that's the case, and with guys like Cam and Booker up for massive extensions, Jones has to be judicious with Sarver's money. I simply see Ayton being the odd man out and the team being able to get a massive haul back for him.
That includes all players, not just bigs. The team isn't just chucking and ducking. But, there are very few (if any) plays in which the center is the primary offensive player in an offensive set. There are many times in which Ayton is simply used as a decoy or screener.
We saw him take a big step forward when Paul was out and Paul ain’t playing forever. He is already our second leading scorer and those numbers will rise. I’d be shocked if they don’t sign him to a long deal.
What about "5 pop"?
I think Cam will get a little less than Mikal got. Is he a better all around offensive player? Yes. But Mikal is more durable and much better defensively. What I look at is Book is eligible for a Supermax if he makes All-NBA or he could push it back a year and try and make a tad more but he’d have to make All-NBA again next season.
Book can also add option years to his contract. He'll 100% re-sign and be well compensated.
I mean if two years from now he isn't living up to expectations he may be much more difficult to trade at that point. Not that I don't think that he won't live up to expectations or would I want to trade him.
I don’t see the Suns letting this be a thing that lingers over the team for a couple years and then possibly lose him for nothing. This is the era of player impowerment. If he shows out hard in the playoffs like last year and we win the chip, I think he’s gonna get what he wants one way or another.
Yeah I've been wondering how that will affect Sarver if he's still in charge. Will he be thrilled by the attention and additional income streams or will he say, challenge met, time to go all Sterling on the club?
I so hope he doesn't know what he's talking about here. And if he does have a legit inside source, it gives us even more reason to hope he's ousted before he can do that kind of damage.
