The Phoenix Suns suffered a disappointing end to their 2022-23 season. There were high hopes entering the playoffs after the mid-season acquisition of Kevin Durant, and Monty Williams’ team was one of the title favorites coming out of the Western Conference.
Suns Likely To Keep Chris Paul But Trade Deandre Ayton
Report: Suns likely to trade Deandre Ayton and keep Chris Paul https://t.co/10Pnlmoeqe
— NBACentral (@TheNBACentral) June 5, 2023
But the team came up short, losing to the eventual Finals representative in the Denver Nuggets. While the Suns were able to take two games in that conference semi-final, there were times when they simply didn’t appear to be competitive, and were blown out in embarrassing fashion in an elimination game for the second year in a row.
Because of the failures, the Suns were faced with a summer ahead that would be full of changes and potential adversity. The party got started early in that regard, when the team inexplicably fired head coach Monty Williams because of his playoff failures. They have since replaced him with former Lakers coach Frank Vogel, and there could be drastic changes coming to the roster as well.
It has been widely speculated that Phoenix will keep the core of Durant and Devin Booker together, but that essentially everyone else would be considered for departure if it meant improving the team. This included both Deandre Ayton and Chris Paul, but according to recent reports, the Suns may want to hang on to the latter.
Finding A Trade Partner For Either Could Be Tough
JUST IN: Frank Vogel is finalizing a deal to become the new head coach of the Phoenix Suns, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. pic.twitter.com/bef5NdTO29
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 2, 2023
The writing may have already been on the wall for Ayton. The former first overall pick has had his effort and dedication questioned on multiple occasions in the past, and those allegations reared their ugly heads again during the playoffs. There was one clip that showed Ayton essentially taking a play off entirely, standing out of bounds and watching while his teammates and opponents battled for a rebound.
He likely still holds a good amount of value around the league, and the suns will reportedly look to find the best value in return for Ayton. But the team still believes that Paul can still be a productive piece for them, and they could keep him around, contrary to earlier reports. NBA reporter Tim MacMahon had this quote on a recent podcast:
“They’ve got a decision to make on Chris Paul. I think that one is certainly more likely for Chris Paul to be back. They need to understand what their potential options are there as well. Obviously, Chris Paul is still a very good player, but at 38 years old, if they could somehow turn him into a couple of quality role players, I think that’d be something that they would have to seriously consider.”
Getting some kind of equal value in exchange for Paul would be very unlikely given his advancing age and contract situation. Ayton won’t be easy either, as he is entering the second season of a four-year deal that will pay him over $32 million per year until 2026.
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