NBA Rumors: Ayton Pins Blame For His Contract Issues On One Person

It's been plain to see, Deandre Ayton seems upset with the Phoenix Suns. His demeanor on Media Day was decidedly gloomy, and his inflammatory comments about head coach Monty Williams the next day confirmed his dour mood. 

But according to ESPN NBA Insider Ramona Shelburne, Ayton actually blames his upsetting contract situation this summer on a source who'll no longer be involved with the Suns:

Ramona Shelburne: "My understanding, from talking to people close to Deandre [Ayton], is that he thinks this was Robert Sarver's decision [to not give Ayton the max contract].#NBATwitter pic.twitter.com/ndudoi28S4

— 𝙏𝙖𝙡𝙠𝙞𝙣’ 𝙉𝘽𝘼 (@_Talkin_NBA) September 28, 2022

"My understanding, from talking to people close to Deandre [Ayton], is that he thinks this was Robert Sarver's decision [to not give Ayton the max contract]," said Shelburne.

Sarver, of course, has been suspended by the NBA for a full season, and is in the process of arranging to sell the team. 

"Sarver is not going to be the owner anymore," added Shelburne. "So there is some healing that can happen there. But there were some hurt feelings about how this played out."

The Suns declined to give the former No. 1 overall pick a max rookie extension going into last season, which agitated Ayton already, then when a contract wasn't forthcoming right after the season, he was steamed even more. It all got resolved, by the way, when the Suns matched a $133M offer sheet in mid-July from the Indiana Pacers.

But hey, Sarver is on his way out, so possibly Ayton will start to get over it. But then he has to deal with the latest revelation that he hasn't spoken with his head coach since being benched in Game 7 of their playoff elimination last spring.

"If he has some lingering resentment towards the front office or Monty Williams," says Shelburne, "then those are things that'll have to heal."