The maximum contract extension talks between the Phoenix Suns and Deandre Ayton went nowhere.
It’s puzzling that Mikal Bridges got his four-year, $90 million extension first before the Suns’ starting center.
Without a new contract, Ayton is playing for the Suns on borrowed time.
Three things may happen since both sides failed to reach an agreement by the October 18 deadline.
First, Ayton tests the waters of free agency and gets a bigger deal from another team.
Second, he signs an offer sheet with another NBA franchise, and the Suns can either match that or not.
Third, he signs a one-year, $16.4 million qualifying offer that makes him a restricted free agent for the 2022-2023 season.
After which, any team can sign him to a deal without giving away draft picks, players, or money.
Regardless of what happens, it’s odd that a former number one overall pick who was a vital contributor to the Suns’ NBA Finals run last season isn’t getting a new contract.
However, it’s not yet the end of the road between Ayton and Phoenix.
Perhaps the Suns want to see more from him before giving him the maximum.
How Much Can Ayton Earn?
NBA rules state that rookies are eligible for a contract extension of up to 25 percent of the projected salary cap for that season.
However, the rate can increase to 30 percent if the rookie becomes league MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, or All-NBA member.
The latter provision is often attributed to Derrick Rose when he won MVP with the Chicago Bulls in the 2010-11 season.
There are two tiers to a maximum contract: five-year and four-year.
Deandre Ayton’s shot attempts per quarter this season:
1st = 5.0
2nd = 2.8
3rd = 1.3
4th = 0.5— Evan Sidery (@esidery) October 28, 2021
Based on the projected salary cap for the 2022-23 season, Ayton can earn $173 million on a five-year extension.
The Suns cannot offer anything less than that value if they re-sign him for half a decade.
On the other hand, the maximum four-year deal will be worth at most $133 million.
This time, the Suns can adjust the value if they’re offering a four-year term.
The discrepancy between the two max contracts is vast, which can help them re-sign other players.
Deandre Ayton the next time he walks into the Phoenix Suns front office: pic.twitter.com/xpVmW6V415
— Colb (@___Colb___) October 22, 2021
There are several angles on this matter, knowing that it’s the Suns.
There’s the possibility that the team is trying to avoid the luxury tax, which they haven’t paid since the 2009-10 season.
Delaying Ayton’s max contract will help them stay under the threshold, and there’s no reason for the team to maintain this practice other than being cheap.
But it also makes sense that perhaps the Suns think that he’s not yet worth the maximum extension.
The Case For Ayton Against The Max
Eight of the last ten number one draft picks got a maximum extension the moment they became eligible.
However, perhaps the Suns don’t want to follow that trend because the jury is still out whether Ayton deserves such a contract.
As of writing, six NBA big men earn the maximum: Rudy Gobert, Bam Adebayo, Karl-Anthony Towns, Anthony Davis, Joel Embiid, and Nikola Jokic.
Deandre Ayton isn’t concerned about the Suns’ first 3 games. Mentioned their conditioning and transition defense as areas they’re going to improve pic.twitter.com/H63PLevlrT
— Gerald Bourguet (@GeraldBourguet) October 26, 2021
These players are either league MVP, elite defensive players, stellar scorers, or all of those.
Compare Ayton alongside these stars, and his glow isn’t as bright.
Yes, he did show some improvements to his game, particularly on defense.
But is his skill level in that department at par with Gobert or Adebayo?
Monty Williams vows to push Deandre Ayton to be the best player he can be 👊 pic.twitter.com/fMrYtGgPqh
— Suns Nation (@SunsNationCP) October 27, 2021
Likewise, most of his baskets came off assists, which leaves you to ponder how good he will be without Booker or Chris Paul.
He even failed to dominate against the Los Angeles Clippers, putting up just 13 shots per game.
Therefore, it’s tough to see him at the same level as those centers mentioned earlier.
Suns Hope To See More
Ayton must use this season to make the significant jump from a talented big man to a bona fide superstar.
Unfortunately, those eight-point performances against the Los Angeles Lakers and the Portland Trail Blazers won’t help his case.
However, he bounced back with a 21-point, 21-rebound masterpiece versus the Sacramento Kings.
Players with 20+ points and 20+ rebounds on at least 75% shooting in a game in Suns history:
Jim Fox – Nov. 14, 1969
A.C. Green – Jan. 9, 1996
Deandre Ayton – Oct. 27, 2021 pic.twitter.com/5ItNa3LCeD— The Valley Stats ☀️ (@TheValleyStats) October 28, 2021
That’s the type of production they’d like to make him worthy of the max.
If he keeps up those numbers, the Suns will match whatever amount other teams are willing to give Ayton.
NEXT: Suns Retaining Chris Paul May Be Most Important Move For Any Team