The Phoenix Suns and Deandre Ayton have come to terms on Ayton re-signing with the Suns after the franchise decided to match the historic deal the Pacers offered last week.
Exclusive interview with @DeandreAyton on re-signing with the Suns with @espn @andscape as well as insight on how he felt after the #Pacers offer sheet he signed was matched. Also words from #Suns GM James Jones and head coach Monty Williams on Ayton https://t.co/Lj02W9cjN8 #nba
— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpears) July 19, 2022
Not only is the contract going to gurantee generational wealth, according to Ayton, but the negotiations Ayton and his reps went through also became a lesson about the business of basketball.
It’s been a tough couple summers for the former Arizona Wildcat, PHX and Ayton’s reps couldn’t agree to an extension last summer, then multiple reports came out saying the franchise thought they could find Ayton in other centers, Ayton was benched during Game 7 for “internal” reasons according to Coach Monty Williams, but GM James Jones said he wanted to re-sign Ayton.
“This is a blessing,” Ayton told ESPN’s Andscape. “This contract not only has generational impact for my family, but also with the way we are able to work in the Phoenix community and home in the Bahamas. That is the things that we go by …
“I’ve come to understand that this is a business. So, I was more anxious to know the end of the result so I could focus, move on and just get back to work. I just treated everything like a business. Just keep being professional, approach everything with professionalism and not looking too deep into it.”
With Ayton know locked in with the Suns for the next four seasons, he says his happy that the “process is over” with. The offer sheet Phoenix matched that Ayton signed saved Phoenix approximately $43 millions and an extra contract year. Both Williams and Jones said they were happy to have Ayton back in the fold to build off their franchise record 64-18 season.
“I just told him, I’m happy for him,” Jones said. “I’m proud of him for how he handled it and how he approached it. I’m just excited for what his next steps look like. He’s motivated to continue to improve, and we’re motivated to help him reach that level. And if he can reach that level, we’re a great team, an even better team. We’re already a good team. We’re already a great team, but we’re even better.”
“James and myself, we talk a lot and he’ll let me know what’s going on with the contract and ask for my opinion,” Williams added. “I try to stay out of persuading him when it comes to him making decisions. But we knew any offer that he got, we were going to match — I’m happy for Deandre just because I know this is what he wanted. He wants to be in that class of players that’s regarded in this way. So, from that standpoint, I think as a competitor, that’s what you want. When you see a guy working for that, that part is pretty cool.”
Ayton averaged 17.2 points and 10.2 rebounds per game on 63.4 percent shooting from the field.
