James Jones on Deandre Ayton: 'The contract stuff is behind us'

You guys matched Indiana’s offer sheet for Deandre Ayton (four years, $133M). Is there peace and love all over the world now that he’s going to be with you? James Jones: Yeah. That part is behind us. The contract stuff is behind us, and our focus now is how do we help him improve and continue to improve. We have ideas and plans to do that. It’s on me and the staff to figure out how to help him in conjunction with our other guys. Continue to realize their capacity. Their potential. He’s good. He’s in great shape. He’s really been in the gym working on what I’d say are ‘second-level things’ and I know he’s excited to prove that he’s better than he was last year.”
Source: Arizona Republic

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
“Our focus now is how do we help him improve and continue to improve. We have ideas and plans to do that. It’s on me and the staff to figure out how to help him in conjunction with our other guys.”
#Suns GM James Jones on Deandre Ayton. https://t.co/9JVuOlNHhP pic.twitter.com/mRAGVyAyQN – 10:37 AM Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
“Yes.”
#Suns GM James Jones when asked can Phoenix win #NBA championship this season.
He said more than that in Part 2 of my Q&A with him. azcentral.com/story/sports/n… – 9:36 PM Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
“We’re having discussions. Cam is a big part of what we do. Really excited for the progress he’s shown over the last few years, especially last year. He’s primed to take some steps forward.” James Jones on Cam Johnson, who is up for rookie extension. #Suns https://t.co/yoLfOlceCk pic.twitter.com/b6HdVrgiVN – 8:27 AM Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
“We had discussions with Brooklyn about their desires and what they were trying to do, but ultimately, I would say like most teams, there was nothing to it.”
Explain?
“Not much discussion, in-depth discussion.”
James Jones on Kevin Durant talks. #Suns https://t.co/jlXxw21s6z pic.twitter.com/aeHyM4wnsw – 7:15 PM Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
‘Brooklyn wanted to keep Kevin Durant’: #Suns GM James Jones on why Nets’ All-Star isn’t with Phoenix azcentral.com/story/sports/n… via @azcentral – 5:53 PM Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
I interviewed #Suns GM James Jones about several things starting with the obvious.
Why didn’t Kevin Durant end up in Phoenix?
He wanted out of Brooklyn.
The Suns were atop his wish list?
“Brooklyn wanted to keep Kevin Durant in Brooklyn.”
Part 1 incoming.
Part 2 tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/NkYaIERZPN – 5:49 PM

More on this storyline

Sirius XM NBA: “Deandre Ayton said it best, our relationship is calm” Phoenix head coach, Monty Williams, tells @TermineRadio & @Eddie Johnson that he hears all the narratives in regards to the way he coaches Ayton, but that’s the way he coaches all of his players. pic.twitter.com/qal5SkgXeb -via Twitter @SiriusXMNBA / August 26, 2022 This isn’t necessarily over, of course; we’ve seen too many Dwightmares rekindle from embers to declare this fire extinguished. But for the purposes of the 2022 offseason, the biggest domino just fell. There will be no Durant trade, at least until Deandre Ayton is trade-eligible in January (ducks). -via The Athletic / August 25, 2022 Deandre Ayton: back and better 😎 -via Twitter @DeandreAyton / August 23, 2022