First, let’s keep Tyler Johnson’s contract in the mix and start with the most simplistic of the options. Deandre Ayton, Tyler Johnson, and a boat-load of first round draft picks.
For the sake of putting something on paper, I’ve placed the 2020 unprotected first rounder and a protected first rounder in both 2022 and 2024 in the equation, since teams can’t trade first round picks in consecutive years.
Is that enough?
This feels like the scene from Oceans 11, when George Clooney is asking Brad Pitt if they have enough men to pull their job off successfully.
You think we need one more? You think we need one more.
Then maybe throw in Mikal Bridges as well.
If they included Bridges, the Suns might be able to squeak out swapping out one of those first rounders for a pair of second rounders. That might be the way to go, but it is going to take a lot to get a team’s franchise player.
This might not do it.