The Detroit Pistons are hoping the Suns get burned by their gamble

Last offseason, the Phoenix Suns had the opportunity to give their former #1 overall center Deandre Ayton a maximum, five-year contract extension. They opted to pass, hoping they could bring him back on a contract that was a little less than the max that his peers like Luka Doncic got. The Detroit Pistons hope this decision comes back to haunt them.

Ayton has been playing exceptional basketball all season and bumped it up for the playoffs. While he is a step below Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokic, he is one of the most reliable centers in the league, one of the best players on the best team in the league, and is only 23 years old.

This season, Ayton averaged 17.2 points and 10.2 rebounds behind an offense led by Chris Paul and Devin Booker, so it’s safe to say he is one of the best third options in the league at this point in his career.

It was up to Ayton to prove the Suns wrong and show the league he is worth a maximum contract. If he didn’t do that in the regular season, these playoffs have shown that the Suns may have made a mistake. Over the last two playoff runs, Ayton has not missed a beat. This season (as of 5/5/22) he has done even better in the playoffs, averaging 20 points and nine rebounds.

As the Pistons try to build a playoff team, adding a tried and true young center to pair with Cade Cunningham and Saddiq Bey is a logical move for a team looking to make the next step into contention.

Will Detroit Pistons benefit from the Suns’ gamble?

The Suns have been doing everything right for the Pistons to secure Ayton. They made him feel unwanted and unworthy by not extending him last summer, their owner faces serious allegations of racism and misogyny and if they win the Finals this season, Ayton might decide one ring before age 25 is enough and go where the money is. If they don’t, he could want a fresh start on a team where he’ll have a bigger role.

The Suns can still offer him five years, while other teams with cap space can only offer four, which gives Phoenix an advantage. They also have the potential to match any offer since Ayton will be a restricted free agent.

But as was pointed out by Forbes, Ayton may actually benefit financially from taking a four-year deal, as it would potentially make him a free agent again just as the salary cap is projected to explode.

While the Suns seemingly have no problem paying the luxury tax if it means retaining their league-best roster, will Ayton even want to stay? The Detroit Pistons are hoping that the Suns’ gamble pays off in their favor.

Deandre Ayton is a natural fit with the Detroit Pistons. He can move out of the paint and knock down a jump shot, and he is an elite pick-and-roll threat who would be an excellent duo with Cade Cunningham. His court vision isn’t bad either, so he could find a cutting Hamidou Diallo or open Saddiq Bey.

On the roster, he would probably establish himself as the second-best player, which is a promotion from Phoenix. He was in Arizona for the end of the Suns’ rebuild and could be in Detroit for the end of the Pistons’ woeful decade. If he already has a ring on his finger, a fat wallet could entice him this way, and fans would have the Suns to thank, as they have potentially lost their leverage.