In the past months, rumors have been swirling around DeAndre Ayton and his future with the Phoenix Suns. The Suns are yet to make Ayton officially available on the trading block but with their failure to reach an agreement regarding a contract extension, there’s a growing belief around the league that the former No. 1 pick would be moved before the 2022 NBA trade deadline.
However, the Suns aren’t expected to trade Ayton just for the sake of getting him out of Phoenix. If they decide to trade him, it would only be in a deal that would help them become a more competitive team in the 2021-22 NBA season.
Karl-Anthony Towns To Suns
According to Kenneth Teape of NBA Analysis Network, one of the players that the Suns could target in the potential deal involving Ayton is All-Star center Karl-Anthony Towns of the Minnesota Timberwolves.
"If the team wants to maximize their championship window, they should give a call to the Minnesota Timberwolves and try prying Karl-Anthony Towns away from them," Teape wrote. "Towns has repeatedly said he wants to help turn things around in Minnesota and play with one team his entire career. But, if the opportunity presented itself to play with a legitimate contender, it would be hard to turn down."
Friends In Phoenix
As of now, Towns hasn’t shown a strong indication that he’s no longer happy in Minnesota but if he decides to part ways with the Timberwolves, he would definitely consider the Suns as one of his next landing spots. Towns is a close friend of Devin Booker, who is currently the face of the Suns franchise.
Since entering the league in 2015, Towns and Booker have been dreaming of playing together in one team. Joining forces in Phoenix would give Towns and Booker a better chance of winning their first NBA championship title this season.
Massive Upgrade
Ayton may have managed to impress since he was drafted as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, but he’s still not on the same level as Towns. Unlike Ayton, Towns is already considered an All-Star caliber player in the league. His potential arrival in Phoenix is expected to boost the Suns’ performance on both ends of the floor, giving them a very reliable scoring option under the basket, a great rebounder, on-court facilitator, rim protector, and floor-spacer.
This season, Towns continues to post incredible numbers, averaging 23.6 points, 9.7 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.3 blocks, and 1.6 steals while shooting 50.3 percent from the field and 46.7 percent from beyond the arc, per ESPN.
Timberwolves' Angle
The proposed Towns-for-Ayton blockbuster trade would only be worth exploring for the Timberwolves if KAT demands a trade from the team. Instead of keeping an unhappy superstar to their roster, the Timberwolves would be acquiring an immediate replacement for him at the starting center position in Ayton. Unlike the Suns, the Timberwolves won’t definitely think twice before giving Ayton a massive contract extension.
At 23, Ayton perfectly fits the timeline of the Timberwolves’ backcourt duo of D’Angelo Russell and Anthony Edwards.
]]>The Inquisitr
