Suns trading Deandre Ayton is great news for the Washington Wizards
By Cem Yolbulan
Deandre Ayton is a polarizing player around the league. A former No.1 overall pick, his talent and potential are undeniable. He is a very good interior scorer with a soft touch, he can rebound and play above-average defense when locked in. His motor, physicality, and effort, however, have regularly been questioned. He wore out his welcome in Phoenix, forcing the Suns to move on from him in a trade with the Portland Trail Blazers and the Milwaukee Bucks. This is important for the Wizards fans because Washington’s fate as a franchise is closely tied to the future of the Phoenix Suns.
As a result of the Bradley Beal trade, the Washington Wizards now own swap rights with the Phoenix Suns for their first-round picks in 2024, 2026, 2028, and 2030. This means that if Phoenix ends up with a higher draft pick in any of these years, the Wizards will receive it in exchange for their own pick. The Ayton trade certainly increases the chance that the Suns might be in the lottery in at least the later years of this period.
Ayton was the most valuable trade chip the Suns had. He is 25 years old and still has a decent upside. With the rising salary cap, his contract will not look too bad. Not only could he have contributed as the fourth option on this star-studded Suns team, but he was also Phoenix’s way out if they wanted to pivot and add different pieces. But by electing to move on from Ayton so soon, the Suns lowered their long-term ceiling.
Phoenix received Jusuf Nurkic, Grayson Allen, and Nassir Little as part of this Ayton trade. None of these players have the current performance level or future upside of Ayton.
In 2028 when the Suns owe the Wizards their first-round pick, Durant will likely have retired, Beal will be 35, and Booker will be 32 years old. Considering how little Phoenix has in their asset cabinet in terms of young players and draft picks, it’s very difficult to see them being championship contenders at that point. This makes it likely that they could be a lottery team in 2028 and 2030, just when the Washington Wizards are hoping to be good again. Those two draft picks might be two of the most valuable assets in the entire league.
Maybe the Wizards didn’t receive the best package possible in the Bradley Beal trade. But, the latest news makes it a little more palatable. There is a chance we look back at that deal in seven years and consider it a franchise-chasing, home-run trade. The Wizards fans have to hope for the Phoenix Suns’ downfall in the meantime.
