Suns reportedly pick up options on Deandre Ayton, Mikal Bridges

The rookie seasons of Phoenix Suns Deandre Ayton and Mikal Bridges last year were enough to earn third-year options on each of their contracts.

The Suns picked up the options on both Ayton and Bridges, keeping them under contract through at least next season, The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported Friday.

Ayton, the first overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, played 71 games in his debut season last year after playing a year at the University of Arizona. In his rookie season, Ayton averaged 16.3 points, 10.3 rebounds and 1.8 assists on 30.7 minutes per game. He was the third rookie this decade to average double-double, joining Blake Griffin and Karl-Anthony Towns.

He finished third in rookie of the year voting behind the Mavericks’ Luka Doncic and Atlanta’s Trae Young.

Bridges played all 82 games and averaged 8.3 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists, shooting 54.8% inside the arc and playing 29.5 minutes per night as a small forward. The Villanova alumnus didn’t make either the first or second team of the NBA’s All-Rookie teams after the season, but he was the leading vote-getter among players who made neither squad.

According to the Suns’ cap sheet on Early Bird Rights, Ayton’s team option for 2020-21 is for $10.01 million, while Bridges’ is for $4.359.

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