The Phoenix Suns are trading Chris Paul and Landry Shamet to the Washington Wizards for Bradley Beal, but that apparently was not Washington’s first choice for a return.
Long time radio host John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 FM in Phoenix reported on Monday that the Wizards wanted Deandre Ayton for Beal. However, Gambadoro said that the Suns were unwilling to include Ayton in a deal.
Yes. Washington did ask for Deandre Ayton in the Beal trade and the Suns were unwilling to include him in the deal. https://t.co/hMSZfNts4E
— John Gambadoro (@Gambo987) June 19, 2023
That is interesting considering Ayton’s name has been in trade rumors for a while. One ESPN analyst even said he has heard that Ayton is as good as gone.
If the Suns were unwilling to include Ayton in a Beal trade, it might not be because they want to keep the center, but it could be because they feel they need to trade him separately to acquire other assets. Perhaps Ayton could be used to bring in more depth or draft picks, which would help them fill out their roster.
The contracts of Paul and Shamet were appealing to Washington because neither player is guaranteed money beyond next season. The Beal trade will help clear salary cap space for Washington, which will aid their rebuild.
Ayton has three years and just over $100 million remaining on his current deal.
