NBA news: Potential Deandre Ayton trades the Phoenix Suns could entertain

With Deandre Ayton only playing 17 minutes in Game 7 of the series, many have wondered what the future could be for the former first overall pick.

Suns head coach Monty Williams only added fuel to the fire in terms of speculation, as he answered "it's internal" when asked why Ayton only played 17 minutes.

The relationship between the two parties also appears to be on thin ice, as Suns owner Robert Sarver refused to offer Ayton the max contract he was seeking at the beginning of the season.

With that being said, Ayton's future in the desert certainly appears unclear, so let's look at some potential sign-and-trade packages that could appease both parties.

The Orlando Magic have a plethora of young talent, as they recently acquired a new asset in the name of a first overall pick.

However, the Magic are highly unlikely to trade that, and with the Suns looking to add win-now talent to maximize the title window with Devin Booker and Chris Paul in the mix, they could look to add some players who could contribute right away.

Wendell Carter Jr. and Cole Anthony makes a lot of sense here, as Carter could easily fill the void at center with his rim-protecting abilities as well as his ability to hit the three.

Anthony would come in and spell a lot of minutes from CP3, which could help the 37-year-old point guard stay fresh and healthy for the long playoff run. CP3 could also be a great mentor to him.

With Ayton, it gives the Magic a formidable threat to score the ball in the low block, as he could be the next big center they build around after Nikola Vucevic.

In this scenario, the New Orleans Pelicans could look to acquire Ayton to add to their trio of Zion Williamson, CJ McCollum, and Brandon Ingram.

Ayton and McCollum would thrive in the pick-and-roll, as that'll either give McCollum more space to find his shot in the mid-range or open up the paint for Ayton to do some major damage.

The Suns could get Jonas Valanciunas, Larry Nance Jr., and Garrett Temple, and the Pelicans could dangle their 8th overall pick if that would be what it would take for this deal to get done.

That would give the Suns the right mix of veterans to help them in heated playoff games, as all of them offer decent scoring, defense, and leadership.

This would be a win-win for both sides if this were to come to fruition.