The gap between the value of Deandre Ayton for the Phoenix Suns and how other teams in the league view him appears to be widening.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!According to NY Post’s Brian Lewis, the New York Knicks had an offer in place to send forward Julius Randle to the Suns in exchange for Ayton. The deal reportedly also included two first-round picks.
The Phoenix Suns rejected an offer of Julius Randle and two first-round picks for Deandry Ayton last season, per @NYPost_Lewis.
Phoenix wants a former All Star and quality draft compensation in return for the former #1 overall pick.
— Khiz (@KhizHoop) June 21, 2023
The reasoning on why Phoenix rejected the offer is unknown. Randle is set to make $25.6 million in the upcoming year. His deal is slightly less than that of Ayton’s. Also, from a production standpoint, Randle has made a better case for himself.
Randle finished last season averaging 25.1 points while averaging 10 rebounds. He also shot 46 percent from the field.
Bringing Randle in exchange for Ayton could bring the exact intensity that’s been missing from the Suns frontcourt. The fact that the Knicks were also willing to include two first-round picks should have made the deal more enticing.
It does appear that the Knicks made this offer during last season, however. With that, the timeline could have been during the Robert Sarver saga where major deals couldn’t be accomplished.
If the deal is still available in any capacity now, Phoenix should definitely make some calls. The only issue with the Suns currently is the cap space. After trading for Bradley Beal, the Suns have exceeded the first tax apron and are looking to blow past the second.
Getting someone on a lesser deal in Randle would ease a bit of that financial burden, but not by much. In any rate, an easier offseason for Phoenix in terms of adding depth will certainly start with Ayton.
