Deandre Ayton, Phoenix Suns fail to agree to deal as rookie extension deadline passes

Deandre Ayton will begin his fourth NBA season without a desired five-year rookie max extension of $172 million, or any extension at all.

Ayton and the Suns ended talks without a deal as the deadline to finalize a rookie extension for 2018 first rounders was 3 p.m. (Arizona time) Monday.

The 6-11 center, who posted 14 double-doubles in his first NBA postseason run in helping Phoenix reach the NBA Finals, had voiced his displeasure last week over a deal not getting done for a five-year rookie max extension. He averaged a career-low 14.4 points on a career-best 62.6% shooting from the field and 10.5 rebounds last season.

"I love Phoenix, but I'm really disappointed we haven't really gotten a deal done yet," said Ayton last Tuesday. "We were two wins away from winning a championship and I just really want to be respected, to be honest. To be respected like my peers are being respected by their teams."

Luka Doncic (Dallas Mavericks), Trae Young (Atlanta Hawks), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City Thunder) and Michael Porter Jr. (Denver Nuggets), all 2018 draft picks, have received max extensions, but none have reached the finals like Ayton, the No. 1 pick in the draft that year.

Now, Ayton is on track to become a restricted free agent entering next off-season, which means any team will be able to make him an offer but the Suns can match it.

"I'm not going to get into the particulars of (Ayton's contract situation), but it's on me to help all of our guys get everything they want," Suns coach Monty Williams said. "That's my job. To help us wins games and help guys get paid. That's something that I take as a challenge, but as far as negotiations and all that, I'm not going to speak on that."

The Suns did reach extension agreements with wing Mikal Bridges for four years, $90 million and guard Landry Shamet for four years, $43 million.

The Suns officially announced Monday the deal with Bridges while ESPN first reported Shamet's deal Monday. Their extensions will kick in next season.

"It's great," Bridges said after Monday's practice. "I've been preaching for a long time I always wanted to be here and always want to be here. Just for that to happen, I take nothing for granted. Just blessed and grateful for the position I'm in. The people I have around me, my family and friends. It's great. I'm happy we got it done."

The 10th overall pick in the 2018 draft, Bridges talked about how Williams kept him relaxed through this process. Bridges averaged a career-best 13.5 points last season.

"I know what that's like," Williams said. "I've been, as a player and as a coach, in that situation. As I've said before, I'm emotionally tied to all of these guys. I want to see them do well. When I could calm him down, I would try to give him some advice. For me, it's like, any mistake that I made, I share so they don't do what I did. That's all it's about for me. Outside of that, I stay out of it."

Bridges did express his thoughts about Ayton's contract situation, saying they both want to be in Phoenix.

"Obviously, I can't do anything," Bridges said. "I'm not in the process, but we want him here and I know he wants to be here as well."

As for Shamet, he's with his fourth team entering his fourth NBA season. Shamet started his NBA career in Philadelphia after being drafted 26th, when Williams was an assistant with the 76ers in 2018-19.

Earlier in training camp, Williams said they tried for two years to acquire Shamet as the Suns finally got him in a trade by sending Jevon Carter and their first round pick (29th overall) of the 2021 draft to the Brooklyn Nets for Shamet.

On Suns media day, Shamet talked about wanting to stay with a team for a long period of time, but being happy about landing with a playoff teams.

"I feels good to be wanted, especially to be wanted on a team with high expectations," Shamet said. "I do have to remind myself of that sometimes for sure."

Now Shamet's locked into a extended deal with a championship contender.

READ MORE: Deandre Ayton out to prove last season wasn't a fluke

Have opinion about current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at dmrankin@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @DuaneRankin.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Deandre Ayton, Phoenix Suns contract talks over, fail to reach deal