Deandre Ayton had a phenomenal breakout season with the Phoenix Suns last year and he was a key factor in the team going to the NBA Finals. Eventually, the Suns lost to the Milwaukee Bucks, although it was clear that Ayton was a player that the Suns needed to lock down for the long-term. In the offseason, contract extension talks began as Ayton is still on his rookie deal and isn't making the kind of money he deserves.
Eventually, it became clear that the team was not willing to give him the five-year, max contract that he wanted. The team was more or less looking at three to four years and it eventually became contentious enough for a deal to fall through. Now, the deadline has passed, and Ayton can't negotiate until a few months down the line.
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Recently, Ayton got to talk to reporters about the ordeal, and as he explained, he is pretty disappointed with everything that is going on. He wants to play for the Suns long-term, and despite everything, he is still focused on getting to the NBA Finals.
"One thing about me, throughout my whole life, I've always learned to control what I can control," Ayton said. "At the same time, obviously I'm disappointed, but I'm still trying to get us back to the finals."
This is a developing story so stay tuned to HNHH for all of the latest updates.