Report: Monty Williams had issue with two Suns players

While everyone on the 2022-23 Phoenix Suns (for the most part) did their best to put on a happy face for the bulk of the year, it appears there may have been some underlying issues and possibly some tension looming. Fortunately for the Suns and their fanbase, the reported tension was between two names who are unlikely to be with the team next season.

According to John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 FM, who joined HoopsHype's Michael Scotto on the HoopsHype Podcast, former Suns head coach Monty Williams (who's now with the Detroit Pistons) wasn't a big fan of two specific players.

As Gambadoro reports, Williams disliked coaching Jae Crowder (who left the Suns after the 2021-22 season) and Deandre Ayton. More specifically, Gambadoro reports that Williams wanted to trade Ayton for Indiana Pacers big man Myles Turner (h/t NBA Central).

“He told people [Jae Crowder] was too difficult to handle and coach. Monty didn’t want Jae. It wasn’t the Suns organization. He didn’t want Jae around. As far as Deandre Ayton, Monty didn’t want him either. He wanted them to trade him to Indiana for Myles Turner. He didn’t like coaching Ayton.”

Obviously, this isn't a major issue or even really a concern for the Suns at this point, as it seems very likely that Ayton will be on his way out of Phoenix via trade this offseason. With the Suns' new big three of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal, who was acquired in a soon-to-be-completed trade from the Washington Wizards, the team will almost certainly move Ayton in an effort to fill out the rest of their roster.

Ayton was a popular name around the 2023 NBA trade deadline, which only adds to the intrigue around the reported issues between Williams and the 24-year-old former No. 1 overall pick. While he obviously didn't get dealt prior to the deadline last season, he's fresh off signing a four-year, $132 million-plus contract last season.

With Beal set to move onto the Phoenix roster, it feels almost like a foregone conclusion that an Ayton deal should happen sooner than later.