Mateo’s Hoop Diary: Sarver, The Ungrateful (Phoenix) Sun

The ungrateful always forget what misery feels like as soon as they have the upper hand.  These foul characters complicate the job of others and make them uncomfortable because they can’t get out of their own way. Cheap fools are usually destined to repeat their blunders and in short order, are back at the bottom where they belong. 

I wish I could say it’s inconceivable that Deandre Ayton hasn’t received his max extension, but the Suns are owned by this slipperiest eel of the negotiating table, Robert Sarver. He once infamously played hardball with Joe Johnson in 2005, electing to finish the year before financially compensating an up-and-coming All-Star.  Iso Joe left that summer in a sign-and-trade to the Atlanta Hawks and had his best seasons away from Phoenix.    

He even ruffled the feathers of one of the classiest players in the league, Goran Dragic, by signing Isaiah Thomas and then extending his inferior backcourt mate, Eric Bledsoe, months after the Slovenian guard’s All-NBA season. The Dragon was clever and likely knew that in his contract year, with his role and production gashed, playing under those circumstances would cost him serious money in free agency.  Dragic then went rogue and spilled his frustrations to the media, expediting his exit in 2015.

The Suns missed the playoffs every season from 2011 until 2020 and started multiple rebuilds.  In their first attempt at miserably constructing a winner, they were fortunate 12 teams passed on Devin Booker.  In fairness, Booker wasn’t expected to be first or probably top five because he wasn’t a starter at Kentucky.  Yet, it’s more of an indictment on the “scouting” of all the other clubs if the best marksman of the draft (2015) slipped that low.  Again, in hindsight, the Suns were fortunate he was available. 

A couple of years later, Sarver hired James Jones as Vice President of Basketball Ops while extending Ryan McDonough, then general manager.  In 2018, Phoenix won the draft lottery, subsequently picking Ayton, the most coveted player in college basketball.

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Ayton performed well in his rookie campaign, averaging a double-double on one of the worst teams in the NBA.  That year he was overshadowed by the mesmerizing season Luka Doncic had for the Dallas Mavericks, as he ran away with the Rookie of the Year award.  Despite the arrival of Dallas’ generational talent, Ayton impressively displayed high proficiency in his craft.  It usually takes longer for big men to develop, but he’s been a player long before he laced them up professionally.  

Ayton’s size cannot be taught.  Meanwhile, Sarver and the Suns are treating one of their franchise cornerstones like 7-footers grow on trees.  Every other team in need of an upgrade at center would melt at the possibility of acquiring a matchup nightmare like #22.

The Phoenix Suns are playing a dangerous game letting their unhappy big-man arrive at restricted free agency in summer 2022.  The organization can hide all it wants under the premise that it was a business decision, but they risk Ayton interpreting his lack of a deal as a personal matter.  The Suns extended Chris Paul, Mikal Bridges and Landry Shamet, who was just traded to Phoenix this offseason, before paying Ayton.  Ayton’s role is arguably the most pivotal behind Booker’s.

In 2021, Phoenix won the West and came two wins shy of an NBA title.  To ensure the Suns stay in the mix for years to come, they will need to pay Ayton every dollar he is looking for past this season.

But this is Sarver, a man who in so many ways, cannot be trusted.  He is the type of guy who, as local hero Greta Rogers said at the Phoenix City Council in 2018, “He’s so tight, he squeaks when he walks.”

Roger’s called out Sarver because he had the nerve to request $150 million worth of tax-payer renovations for the Footprint Center while the team had an abysmal record the year before.

Some people’s ignorance cannot be helped.  No matter how many times they stumble at the same obstacle, fools are destined to repeat the past.