Why would the Pistons do that?
1 Like
I think that would be Phoenix drastically overrating their leverage in this situation. Hollinger speculates itād be Grant + bit players/contracts for Aytom. Maybe they could get a draft pick on that. But the Pistons arenāt in position to have to give up two potential key pieces of the future for a RFA.
3 Likes
I mentioned to my buddy Grant + Olynyk would be the best case scenario for the Pistons. Salaries match and get rid of Olynyk contract at the same time. Ayton fits the rebuild timeline and already has playoff experience. Plus Aytonās contract would fall off right about the same time as Cadeās potential max extension so it shouldnāt be an issue IMO. If nothing else, Aytonās contract would be an expiring one if he doesnāt want to stay with Detroit and they can trade him for assets.
1 Like
If Stewart is a key piece of the future why are you trading for Ayton?
Because the team can simply keep him. If the Pistons make a max offer, the Suns can match it and keep him. More likely, they would tell any suitor they would match any offer and say if you want him, you need to trade for him.
The Suns are not going to let him walk.
1 Like
Well Iāve said up and down that they shouldnāt trade for Ayton, so Iām not the guy to answer it. I do think it will take more than Grant.
I just donāt know how a drop-center who vanished from the conference finals and had his coach - the certified nicest man in basketball - pleading with him explicitly to give effort is a good move.
1 Like
I donāt blame Ayton for not wanting to come back when the Suns are already down 30+ pts on game 7 where an injury could cost him money. Got to preserve his body for the max contract. Joel Embiid got hurt in a blowout game where Doc inexplicably left him on the court where he should be on the bench. It mightāve cost the Sixers the series.
Ayton was awesome in the playoff when the Suns went to the Finals. He stepped up when needed to and has improved every year plus heās only 23. Youāre paying for a future production which I will gladly give him the max contract which fits the rebuild timeline.
1 Like
I see Beef Stew as a backup C, not a starting caliber. This would strengthen the C position for the Pistons plus gives Ayton an actual lob threat and can actually defend unlike Bagley who canāt guard anyone and is an undersized big.
2 Likes
Because Ayton would make the team better? And backup bigs still play close to 20 mpg. And if you are fine with letting Stewart go, you could utilize him or Grant in another trade. Grant, Stewart, plus a pick is a massive overpay for a RFA with leverage. Pistons donāt have to do that because they would have more leverage in this situation.
Yes but if the current team values the player at a lower number, they can are only likely to keep the player if they match. If anything the bidding team has some leverage in the sense that they are messing w another teamās budget.
In sign and trade does bidding team get extra years or some form of cap relief vs a direct RFA signing? There must be some tangible value because teams do pursue sign and trade.
2 Likes
The purported āissueā is much longer term than game 7 of the Dallas series.
I just hesitate to spend that much on a guy who may (?) be a top 40 player, who has an entire raft of character questions (yes, bigger than game 7), who plays the least valuable position/role in the starting 5. I have no idea if Mitchell is a possibility, but Iād take him over Ayton 12 times out of 10.
2 Likes
Because heād be signing with the incumbent team, heās able to sign an extra year.
2 Likes
Mitchell seemingly have a locker room issue plus heās a minus defender. Ayton at least gives you offense and defense. I rather have Ayton who is younger and ascending as opposed to Mitchell who he is offensively but not sure if he can improve on defense.
What was the issue with Ayton beside game 7? Other than the drug suspension, he seems to be pretty clean off the court.
Such as what? He doesnāt have character questions at all.
None of the above. One more season of bargain hunting please.
1 Like
No crimes or misbehavior, but his work ethic and drive to play has been questioned, and his issue with Monty Williams (and vice versa) has been a season long thing. Thereās been a ton of discussion about how well he takes care of himself, for instance.
Dan Feldman at NBC Sports had a little thing on it:
Basically, it sounds like the guy likes (loves?) video games.
I donāt think he is a bad player, but I will absolutely question a guy who decided to abandon his teammates and refuse to compete in a tough situation - thatās youth sports level lessons.
I also just donāt think heās worth the investment, heās not a franchise cornerstone level player, and if youāre giving out a max, isnāt that what you want?
FWIW - Mitchellās problem in Utah is his long-standing problem with Gobert (and heās nervous about what it will look like since his coach just left).
That article also has this nugget, which I agree with (with the caveat of Jokic and Embiid):
Thereās a stronger sense among league figures that Phoenix brass simply does not view Ayton, or any center, as a player worth greater than $30 million annually.
3 Likes
All the reports this season of his āextracurricularsā and what not simply screams of character assassination by Sarver and Phoenix to hide the fact that they picked a guy number 1 and donāt want to give him a max.
Everything I have ever read about Monty Williams would suggest he would not engage in character assassination. The stuff about him sleeping 2 hours a night during the season so he could play video games was given to the media byā¦DeAndre Ayton in a player profile.
And again - there is no disputing he quit on his teammates. I donāt care about his contract issues - that stinks.
2 Likes
Spin zone - he averaged 17 and 10 as a 23 year old on two hours of sleep as the third best player on a really good team.
Imagine when he gets more sleep!! Cade will make him take sedatives!
4 Likes
lolā¦true. But in truth, what happened was that some night he was a legit star, and some nights he was benched for Javale McGee.
1 Like