The Phoenix Suns made a blockbuster trade over the weekend to acquire star shooting guard Bradley Beal from the Washington Wizards in a deal that involved multiple players and draft picks.
The Suns probably aren't done making moves, though. They will be paying a ton of money to Beal, Kevin Durant and Devin Booker in the coming years -- $130 million combined next season -- and to avoid the harsh penalties under the CBA for consistently maintaining a super-high payroll, it wouldn't be shocking if the Suns look to shed some future salary.
One way for them to do that is by trading DeAndre Ayton. The veteran center is owed between $32 million and $36 million over the next three seasons before he's able to become an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2026.
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The Suns reportedly have interest in Celtics guard Malcolm Brogdon, which makes sense because Phoenix desperately needs a point guard after losing Chris Paul in the Beal trade.
But don't bet on any potential Brodgon trade with the Suns including Ayton, because according to MassLive's Brian Robb, the Celtics "have no interest in an Ayton deal per a league source due to his pricy contract so any scenario that involves Brogdon going to Phoenix now is dead without a third team getting involved. Phoenix could involve moving Ayton elsewhere but don’t look for Boston to get involved unless Ayton’s going to a different team."
Ayton did average 18 points and 10 rebounds last season, which aren't bad numbers by any means, but for $32-36 million per year he doesn't bring enough to the table on both ends of the floor. He doesn't shoot from the outside and he's not a top-tier defensive player. The Celtics do need another center for depth purposes, but it needs to be a player who can stretch the floor like Al Horford.
Robert Williams III has dealt with numerous injuries in his Celtics career, but he's a much better fit for Boston than Ayton. Williams is an elite defensive player and a fantastic finisher on lobs off the pick-and-roll. Health is always a major concern with Time Lord, but he's on a really team-friendly contract ($11-13 million per season through 2025-26), and that's super valuable for a high-payroll team such as the C's.
The main reason to stay away from Ayton is his contract. Paying Ayton around $35 million annually when Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown will be making supermax money wouldn't be fiscally responsible.
Ayton is a good player and just 24 years old. He should have some value around the league. But a deal involving the former No. 1 overall pick and the Celtics just doesn't make sense from Boston's perspective.
