Every NBA team’s biggest question mark for the 2021-22 season

Phoenix Suns: Is Deandre Ayton going to get paid?

Chris Paul and Devin Booker got most of the credit for taking Phoenix to the Finals last year, but Ayton’s impact was crucial to Phoenix’s surprising playoff run. Now the young center is ready to get paid like the star he performed as last season.

At the moment, the Suns’ front office is balking at the idea of giving Ayton the max contract he feels he deserves. It’s an understandable negotiating position from the team’s perspective. There’s no financial advantage to giving in to Ayton’s demands this early.

That doesn’t mean this negotiation doesn’t have the potential to turn ugly very quickly. Ayton is a proud player who played his best basketball last season. It’s easy to understand his belief that he’s comfortably worth a max deal given his age and production level.

The Suns need to be careful with just how hard they push back against Ayton’s demands. They need him to be happy and content if they want to return to the Finals this year. An unhappy franchise center could return Phoenix to the middle of the pack in this year’s Western Conference race.