Suns’ playoff exit puts Chris Paul, Deandre Ayton and Monty Williams’ future in doubt

The Phoenix Suns were bounced from the NBA playoffs in embarrassing fashion for the second straight season after losing to the Denver Nuggets in Game 6 of the Western Conference Semifinals. 

Now, big changes appear to be afoot. 

Some people in NBA circles are questioning whether head coach Monty Williams, future Hall-of-Fame point guard Chris Paul and former No. 1 overall pick Deandre Ayton will still be in Phoenix come next season, according to a report from ESPN’s Tim MacMahon.

“Some heads are going to roll for this one,” one NBA scout told MacMahon when the Suns were down 40 points to the Nuggets at halftime of Game 6.

At least part of the Suns’ overhaul has already started. 

Bleacher Report’s Chris Haynes reported Friday that the team let go of one front-office executive and two scouts.

The Suns traded for Chris Paul ahead of the 2020-21 season in hopes that he, Ayton and Devin Booker could bring the first-ever NBA championship to The Valley. 

They’ve yet to make it out of the second round since losing to the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2021 NBA Finals. 

The franchise was bought by Mortgage executive Mat Ishbia from embattled owner Robert Sarver for $4 billion earlier this year. 

Less than a day after the deal became official in February, Ishbia, who during his introductory press conference stated that an NBA title was his goal, traded Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Jae Crowder, four first-round picks and a pick swap for superstar Kevin Durant. 

At least this season, Durant’s presence wasn’t enough to win it all. 

Paul, 38, has a team option for $30 million that becomes fully guaranteed in late June. Paul, who has dealt with injury bad luck throughout his career, suffered a groin injury during Game 2 vs. the Nuggets and didn’t return in the series.

Ayton — who signed a four-year, $133 million maximum contract extension with the Suns in July — has long had tension with the organization.

The 24-year-old center, according to MacMahon, “would be excited about a fresh start with another franchise.”

“While we have a lot to be proud of this year, we did not reach the level of success all of us want, which is a championship,” Ishbia wrote in a tweet Friday. “We won’t win a championship every season, but it will always be the goal. The @Suns will never stop working to be great both on and off the court, and we are just getting started.”