Where will Deandre Ayton stand with Suns after their shocking Game 7 loss to Mavericks?

Phoenix sports fans will rue the day the Suns imploded against the Mavericks in the 2022 Western Conference semifinals Game 7.

During the postgame media session, Suns coach Monty Williams took responsibility for the No. 1 overall-seeded team's nightmarish performance and 33-point loss.

But Williams' facial expression was stoic with his abrupt response about why his team's most efficient offensive player during this playoffs, Deandre Ayton, played just 17 minutes in their most important game of the year.

That includes Ayton's glaring fourth-quarter omission as the Suns' four other starters continued to play as the Mavericks' lead reached 46 points.

"It's internal," Williams said.

Ayton didn't speak to the media after the game.

Emotions ran high after the booing fans witnessed a monumental collapse by the odds-on favorite Suns to win their first title. There was apparent tension between the league's Coach of the Year and the Suns' former No. 1 overall pick.

Williams substituted backup big Bismack Biyombo for Ayton at the third quarter's 8:26 minute mark as the Suns trailed, 70-32. After Ayton hit his second field goal at the 9:45 mark, he stole the ball from Luka Doncic and assisted Mikal Bridges' ensuing dunk 24 seconds later to whittle at the Mavericks' huge lead, 65-31.

Thirty-seven seconds later, Mavericks' guard Jalen Brunson extended their lead to 70-31 with his second consecutive jumpshot, a left corner 3-pointer. Ayton showed minimal hustle closing out on him from the paint.

Then, Ayton was removed after Devin Booker made his first of two free throws.

As Ayton returned to the bench, he appeared to have a terse exchange with Williams.

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Ayton never returned to the game thereafter and finished with playoff lows of five points (2-of-5 field goals, 1-of-4 free throws), four rebounds, two assists, one steal, two turnovers, and three personal fouls.

Before Game 7, Ayton's averages in this postseason were a stellar 64.8% FG, was the Suns' top rebounder at 9.3, and his 19.3 points was second to Booker's 24.7 points.

Williams and Ayton's exchange was far different from the viral clip of Williams motivating Ayton to stay poised while guarding Giannis Antetokounmpo and "dominate the game with force" during Game 2 of last year's finals.

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Last year following the Suns' Game 6 loss to the Bucks in the finals, Ayton said to Booker, "This is just the beginning. Now we know what we need to do. We're going to keep each other accountable for the rest of our careers together."

But after Sunday's Game 7 fallout, is this the beginning of the end for Ayton in his hometown Phoenix?

Despite achieving a franchise record 64 regular-season wins, the 6-foot-10 center and the Suns remain at a crossroads.

Ayton felt slighted that his contract negotiations at the start of this season became futile. He wanted a five-year, $172 million rookie max extension like several of his peers from the 2018 draft's first round.

He would've filled the team's second spot for a rookie max in their salary cap. Booker's five-year, $158.2 million extension he signed in July 2018 holds their first.

Other players from that draft who signed long-term rookie maxes at the start of this season include Doncic, Memphis Grizzlies' Jaren Jackson Jr., Atlanta Hawks' Trae Young, Oklahoma City Thunder's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and the Denver Nuggets' Michael Porter Jr.

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Doncic is a two-time All-NBA selection who signed a $207 million deal for five years. The two-time All-Star Young, Gilgeous-Alexander, and Porter Jr., each got $172.5 million for five years. Jackson Jr.'s four-year deal is for $104.72 million. Even Bridges got a four-year, $90 million contract extension.

Each of those deals begin next season.

"One thing about me, throughout my whole life, I've always learned to control what I can control," Ayton said in October. "At the same time, obviously I'm disappointed, but I'm still trying to get us back to the finals.

"I've still got to represent the team and myself as well. I'm just a competitor, man. Just like to compete to the best and every time I'm in between those lines, that's what you're going to see out of me. Nothing else."

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Ayton will be a hot target in the restricted free agency market this summer when that period begins on June 30.

He's averaged 16.3 points on 59.9% shooting, 10.5 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.0 blocks, and 0.7 steals per game during his career. During the 2021 finals, Ayton produced averages of 15.8 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks in 22 games.

As a restricted free agent, the Suns hold the right to match any other team's offer. But will they be willing? They also have to account for Chris Paul's four-year, $120 million contract, which began this season.

Booker knows the NBA is a business, never personal. But the Suns pride themselves on being a family.

“His contract situation is between him and the front office,” Booker said in the post-game interview Sunday.

“I care about him as a brother. You know, it’s just making sure his mental is right, making sure he’s straight off the court, just making sure he’s in the right position. We have that type of relationship. I mean, whatever happens, happens. You know, it’s kind of hard to look so far in the future and try to determine your future. You just have to be ready to go.”

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Ayton, Doncic will only heat up after Game 7

One game doesn't define Ayton's career, especially after helping lead the Suns to their first trip to the finals in 28 years in 2021.

But Game 7 will be memorable for many NBA fans and pundits who saw Doncic as the best player in this series and fixated on whether the Suns blew their chance to draft him instead of Ayton at No. 1 in 2018.

The 6-foot-7 shooting guard had a game-high 35 points (including six 3s), 10 rebounds, four assists, and two steals. He had 27 points by the end of Game 7's first half, which matched the Suns' point total at the break, and a series average of 32.6 points, 9.9 rebounds, 7.0 assists and 2.1 steals.

But Booker disputed those theories about the draft. Doncic's numbers have nothing to do with the legacy he advised Ayton to focus on building as a Sun since his rookie year.

“I think they did that for the year they got drafted, and I think they do that every year between each top pick. So it’s something that just goes along," Booker said. "I think they’re both focused on their own careers. Obviously, probably have a little motivation there, just like I look back at the 2015 draft and it’s like, ‘Aww, I was better than … I thought I should’ve been drafted then.’ That’s just the nature of the game, so I don’t think there’s anything there anymore.”

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Another question looms after Game 7: Where does Ayton's relationship with Williams now stand?

Prior to Phoenix's shootaround before Game 5 on May 10, Ayton said he and Williams have grown together since their 8-0 run in the NBA bubble in 2020.

"I built a strong relationship where there was one-on-one talks, and there’s times where we butt heads and we had to talk it through and figure each other out," Ayton said.

The 23-year-old Ayton added about his own maturity level since his rookie year, "I’m just accepting responsibility as well.

"Monty gave me some responsibility, not something that’s out the blue, but something that I had as a goal and he put me in situations to see how I’ve matured, and he would tell me when I’m mature and, you know, (imitates Williams’ voice) ‘Hey, D.A., that’s kind of immature.’ But he’ll tell me when I do good as well, so that’s the type of relationship we built in the bubble.”

If the Suns can reconcile this season-ending crash, then they can get through anything moving forward. Even with Ayton and Williams, who disciplined him with tough love in Game 7.

But if not, this could be one of the biggest sports family splits in the Valley's history.

“Just tell him I love him, always, no matter what," Bridges said he told Ayton during the game. "I just always love him, man."

Have tips for us? Reach the reporter at dana.scott@azcentral.com or at 480-486-4721. Follow his Twitter @iam_DanaScott.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Where will Ayton stand with Suns after their Game 7 loss to Mavericks?