Three Trade Destinations for Suns Center Deandre Ayton

The Phoenix Suns are heavily anticipated to shop Deandre Ayton this summer - here's where he could land.

With the disappointing playoff outcome from the Phoenix Suns after going all-in with the trade for Kevin Durant, Phoenix will be in a position to make some moves in the offseason. 

They have already narrowed down their search for their new head coaching job, but that is just one of many problems to fix before next season. The Suns will reportedly be open to shopping both Chris Paul and Deandre Ayton. 

(We already covered Paul's destinations here)

Ayton is a bit of a different case from Paul - he’s still young and has plenty of career left in the NBA. Unfortunately for the Suns, Ayton was a top pick that never panned out. This isn’t to say he’s bad, he’s actually been one of the best centers over the last few years, but as far as a number-one pick goes, he’s close to being a bust. 

Offensively, Ayton is very solid, but he’s a truly one-dimensional player. Phoenix has tried to keep him around, but much like Paul, his career with the Suns appears to be coming to a close.

Chicago Bulls

The Chicago Bulls may not be the most likely option but they are an option at that. The Bulls are in a very similar situation with their center as it appears that they just aren’t working well together anymore. 

Nikola Vucevic and Ayton are both more offensive players and it wouldn’t be that drastic of a change, but it’s possible the two just need a fresh start with a new franchise. The main thing keeping this trade from being all that likely is the Suns’ reluctance to spend big on a center if they move Ayton.

New York Knicks

This would be a trade that could be very win-win in terms of helping each team out with what they’re looking for. Sending Mitchell Robinson to Phoenix to team up with Devin Booker and Kevin Durant is a recipe for success. 

Add another defensive stud into the lineup like Dillon Brooks and they quickly become one of the most balanced teams in the league. The two things the Suns currently lack are depth and defense. Trading for Robinson would certainly help take care of one of the problems.

Dallas Mavericks

The Mavericks fit as suitors for both players in this article and Ayton could potentially be used to bring in Paul’s replacement. Dallas is a team that has been linked to Ayton and he could make a solid fit there with Doncic. 

There would be potential for a sign-and-trade involving Kyrie Irving and Ayton that would kill two birds with one stone. Is it ideal? Yes. Is it that likely? Probably not. Either way, neither team would lose this trade.