Ayton and ...

[FloridaMan78]

Also, if Ayton REALLY doesn't want to be there, and the Suns tell him that they're matching if no S&T, he just won't sign with the Pistons. He would only sign with a team willing to S&T.

I don't think that scenario matters though TBH. I can't see the Suns not doing one of either working it out with him, or having a S&T agreed to before FA opens.

Ok but on the flip side of that Ayton would have to want to go the teams that are willing to S & T as well. That gets left outta this discussion constantly. That potentially limits the list, thereby limits Phoenix's leverage. Quite frankly, I don't think Ayton is done with Phoenix, it's apparently the other way around. So Phoenix matching, I don't think is the worst thing in Ayton's world.

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That's the flavor I get from everything I've read--Phoenix just doesn't want to make the financial commitment required to keep Ayton, and it's nothing more than that for them. And Ayton believes he deserves that financial commitment, and it's nothing more than that for him.

The Suns will not let him walk for nothing.

They will match if they have to and trade him next year at the deadline and not pay the luxury tax.

So yea, there’s a chance he ends up staying with Phoenix this year.

[Manocad]

Ok but on the flip side of that Ayton would have to want to go the teams that are willing to S & T as well. That gets left outta this discussion constantly. That potentially limits the list, thereby limits Phoenix's leverage. Quite frankly, I don't think Ayton is done with Phoenix, it's apparently the other way around. So Phoenix matching, I don't think is the worst thing in Ayton's world.

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That's the flavor I get from everything I've read--Phoenix just doesn't want to make the financial commitment required to keep Ayton, and it's nothing more than that for them. And Ayton believes he deserves that financial commitment, and it's nothing more than that for him.

The Suns will not let him walk for nothing.

They will match if they have to and trade him next year at the deadline and not pay the luxury tax.

So yea, there’s a chance he ends up staying with Phoenix this year.

Sure. The point was only to clarify that it's not an issue of Phoenix being done with Ayton, i.e. don't want him as a player anymore. It appears to be strictly a financial issue for both parties.

[DetroitDon15]

That's the flavor I get from everything I've read--Phoenix just doesn't want to make the financial commitment required to keep Ayton, and it's nothing more than that for them. And Ayton believes he deserves that financial commitment, and it's nothing more than that for him.

The Suns will not let him walk for nothing.

They will match if they have to and trade him next year at the deadline and not pay the luxury tax.

So yea, there’s a chance he ends up staying with Phoenix this year.

Sure. The point was only to clarify that it's not an issue of Phoenix being done with Ayton, i.e. don't want him as a player anymore. It appears to be strictly a financial issue for both parties.

I can’t see them matching him. I can see and sign and trade getting done. I think that it works for both parties. Ayton gets to go to the team that he wants and the Suns can recoup an asset or two (in theory). If a team with full cap space signs him, it’s probably a different story.