Grade the trade: How Dallas Mavericks could pull off a deal for Deandre Ayton

Building a Deandre Ayton trade for the Dallas Mavericks

The Suns have a 26-year-old superstar to build around in Devin Booker, so they will be searching for quality role players and first-round picks if they are going to trade Deandre Ayton. Surrounding Booker with shooters and versatile defenders, plus a point guard seems like a path to success for Phoenix.

Trades like this are easier to make in the summer because teams can expand their rosters to 20 players, and they have more cap flexibility. Do not expect to see this trade at the deadline, but in the offseason it could look something like this.

The Suns will fight for the inclusion of Josh Green. The 22-year-old wing is having a breakout third NBA season, and he provides a ton of energy on the floor. Green could a key role player for the Mavericks for the next decade-plus, and Dallas may have to give up additional draft capital if they want to keep Green out of the deal.

Still, two first-round picks and two quality role players in Dorian Finney-Smith and Tim Hardaway Jr. is a hefty price for Ayton. The 24-year-old former number one overall pick has never made an All-Star team, and his block numbers have fallen off the last two seasons. Ayton is a talented big man that still has not reached his ceiling, but he is far from a superstar at this moment.