Phoenix Suns’ DeAndre Ayton has Kevin Durant’s Brooklyn Nets at the top of his list. The Big 3 consisting of him, Devin Booker, and Chris Paul led the Suns to the NBA Finals last year but after the heavy 2nd round loss to Dallas, things have not been smooth. Ayton had already expressed his willingness to leave the franchise in private.

The Suns’ decision to not make Ayton a maximum offer when he became extension-eligible last summer was revealing. He wasn’t regarded by Suns’ ownership as being on the same level as other players of the 2018 rookie class who earned max contracts, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski’s report from last year.

This has led to locker room tensions and fights. Fences could have been mended if Ayton had a great year with the Suns. It felt like they would repeat their 2021 performance, as they had the best win-loss record among all the franchises.

But that did not happen. The Conference SemiFinals exit has hastened the exit of the 6’11 big man. Coach Monty Williams made him play just 17 minutes in Phoenix’s season-ending defeat to the Mavericks.

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Also, the comments made after that didn’t show any sign of encouragement. The coach already had gripes with Ayton’s waning focus. This had led to lesser playing time for him.

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Despite how everything has played out, Wojnarowski claimed on May 16 that Ayton “is going to earn a max contract in the marketplace someplace.” As a result, he could still come out ahead. The Suns still have the leverage in any negotiation, as the player is only eligible for restricted free agency. This leverage increases when it comes to a sign and trade deals.

Rumors were floating that Phoenix could flip him for a veteran like Detroit Pistons’ Jeremi Grant. It’s no surprise the Brooklyn Nets need a big man. The reports of Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant have increased those chances. The acquisition of Jalen Duren has made the Pistons less interested in the Ayton.

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In such a scenario, the Suns have emerged as many people’s favorite to get Durant. A package centered on an Ayton sign-and-trade plus some mix of Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, and picks might just work for the Suns. It’s going to be interesting to see where Ayton lands up next season as the Suns are still favorites to retain, according to the odds.