Dallas Mavericks trade interest in Deandre Ayton 'Overstated'
Though it has been widely reported, the Dallas Mavericks’ interest in Deandre Ayton is “overstated.”
DALLAS — Though the Dallas Mavericks are planning to make moves to improve a roster that wasn't good enough in the 2022-23 NBA season, one direction that has been "overstated" in recent reports is a possible trade for Phoenix Suns center Deandre Ayton.
Phoenix is expected to shop Ayton this offseason following a disappointing second-round loss to the Denver Nuggets, where Ayton was outplayed by Nikola Jokic and wasn't available in the final game of the Suns' season.
Dallas is a buyer this offseason, but the Mavs aren't planning to buy big on Ayton.
"I don’t get any sense at this juncture that Ayton is Dallas’ top trade target," Mavericks insider Marc Stein wrote.
Adding Ayton to the mix of a team that has the ability to re-sign Kyrie Irving and has Luka Doncic under contract for four seasons to come would add frontcourt play that the team hasn't enjoyed since Dirk Nowitzki was donning Mavs blue.
But that isn't the direction the Mavericks are heading in, according to Stein.
Ayton finished his fourth season with the Suns, averaging 18.0 points and 10.0 rebounds. Ayton has often been criticized heavily throughout his career for his lack of aggression. However, if he would join the Mavericks, Doncic, and company wouldn't need Ayton to be a go-to scorer. The Mavs just need him to be exactly what he was in Phoenix.
Ayton signed a four-year, $133 million offer sheet with the Indiana Pacers last offseason that the Suns matched. He has $102 million remaining on his contract over three seasons.
As the offseason progresses, Ayton and the Mavericks are a situation everyone must keep their eyes on.
