According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Deandre Ayton agreed to a historic $133 million offer sheet with the Indiana Pacers on July 14th. The next several hours were full of noise, but the Phoenix Suns promptly matched the offer as soon as it was signed.
Ayton’s restricted free agency had been one of the focal points of the offseason, and the primary factor in Phoenix’s future.
The front office’s decision to not give the former number one overall pick the max contract extension that he desired last year drew headlines, and likely created a rift between Ayton’s camp and the organization.
While some may look at the offer sheet and scoff at the idea that Ayton was paid as much as he was, I believe that it was worth it. Here are my 5 reasons why:
Phoenix Suns Will See The Salary Cap Spike Soon
Beginning in 2025, the NBA’s broadcasting contract will be worth a proposed $75 billion, a massive increase from the $24 billion deal in 2016. This would directly inflate the league’s BRI (basketball-related income), which is used to calculate the annual salary cap.
With Ayton receiving his contract now, as a percentage of the current salary cap, it would be a much smaller percentage of the cap in a few years time. A similar cap spike resulted in the Golden State Warriors having enough space to sign Kevin Durant during the summer of 2016, despite already having 3 All-Stars on their payroll.
Ayton’s hefty contract isn’t really a chokehold on the team’s long-term plans, especially since the Suns were likely going to exceed the luxury tax line regardless.