The Mavs are smart they call the Suns about Ayton. You´ll immediately learn about the availability and the price tag. If the new Suns owner, still with shiny toy snydrome, sets the price at Kyrie Irving, you counter with he´d be no salary match since Kyrie wants $50M per year, and offer them Bullock + THJ instead. At that point Suns owner either bites or says we´ll find a way to make the salaries match.
Learnings: You know Ayton is available. You know there is interest in Kyrie from Phoenix side. Now you basically offer Kyrie fair market value, something like 160/4 and if he insists on the outrageous 200/4-250/5, you just trade him to Phoenix.
Learnings: You know Ayton is available. You know there is interest in Kyrie from Phoenix side. Now you basically offer Kyrie fair market value, something like 160/4 and if he insists on the outrageous 200/4-250/5, you just trade him to Phoenix.