The Suns aren't going to pay Ayton the max - if they were they would have done it in the preseason. They do a S&T for a quality expiring and a competent 3rd scorer. Not that Ayton is incompetent... he just didn't get the damn ball enough.

For the Suns, they can resign their backup centers to the league minimum again. They can probably couple picks #13 & #15 together and move up to #8 or stand pat and draft Ayton's replacement, whether that's Jalen Duren or Mark Williams. Maybe they stretch and take Sochan. Johnson slides into the starting PF spot. Rozier becomes instant offense off the bench and Oubre gets his normal 12-15.

Charlotte gets a legit starting center - something they haven't had since the Al Jefferson days. Because of the Stepien rule, they also get Phoenix's lottery protected 2023 pick. They roll the dice trading Hayward for Brogdon hoping he can play more than half a season. When he plays, he's a quality rebounder, shooter, defender and passer. He's just hurt all the damn time - much like Hayward anymore. Crowder fills Gordon's vacated starting spot, except he'll play 75 games. Payne is insurance for Brogdon.

The Pacers get their hometown boy back. Moving Brogdon ends the tug of war game he'd have with Haliburton. TJ Warren gets another chance to be a starter on a make-good contract before he's relegated to the veteran's minimum.

I see the depth charts like this. Suns Paul, Booker, Bridges, Johnson, (Duren/Williams/Biyombo) Rozier, Shamet, Oubre, Saric, McGee *would love to see a small ball lineup of Paul Rozier Booker Bridges and Johnson.

Hornets Ball, Brogdon, Crowder, Bridges, Ayton Payne, Bouknight, McDaniels, Washington, Plumlee

Pacers Haliburton, (Ivey/Sharpe/AJ Griffin/Johnny Davis), Hayward, Warren, Turner McConnell, Duarte, Brissett, Jackson, Bitadze