Player 1 the Suns need to sell – The contract we had to sign
It would be less than honest to say it was anything other than a disappointing season for the Suns’ Deandre Ayton. Although Ayton had some stretches where he looked like a dominant big man, he also had stretches where he looked like the smallest player on the floor, with none worse than his disappearing act against Denver.
Phoenix had little choice last summer but to match Indiana and Ayton’s contract or lose him for nothing. Now that the Suns are a year into the contract and Ayton’s growth continues to be anything but linear; it is time to sell on the center.
While the Suns are unlikely to get value back that is equivalent to a former number one overall pick that is on a max contract, a serviceable role player and some draft picks for a team that is seriously lacking both would be useful in building a team that can compete behind Booker and Durant.
I would love to see Ayton work; we all would, but his future needs to be anywhere except Phoenix.