Phoenix Suns: Monty Williams says he and Deandre Ayton haven't talked since 'internal' Game 7

Suns coach Monty Williams isn’t budging on his initial comments about why Deandre Ayton only played 17 minutes in Sunday’s decisive Game 7, but said the two haven’t talked since the ugly 123-90 loss at Footprint Center.

“No, we didn’t,” Williams said during Monday’s Zoom availability when asked if he and Ayton talked after the game. “You guys know me well enough, I’m going to do everything I can to help us win games and at that point with the lead where it was, I made a decision not to put him back in the game.”

Williams took Ayton out with 8:26 left in the third quarter with top-seeded Phoenix down, 70-32 to the fourth-seeded Dallas Mavericks.

So the frustrated Suns' big man only played three minutes and 34 seconds in the second half. Ayton took just five shots for the game in scoring a playoff career-low five points.

"I told him I love him, always, no matter what," Suns wing Mikal Bridges, who was in the same 2018 draft class at Ayton. "I'll always love him."

Hot topic: Where will Ayton stand with Suns after Game 7 loss to Mavericks?

When asked after Sunday's game why Ayton only played 17 minutes and 27 seconds to be exact, Williams said, “it’s internal” as observers in the area informed The Republic the two exchanged words when Ayton came out of the game.

“I’ll keep all the internal stuff internal, but it was just a decision that I made,” Williams continued. “And it also got to point I didn’t feel like (Chris Paul and Devin Booker) were going to help us on that particular night. I do understand the question, but no, we haven’t talked. I talked to the team today, but I have not talked to DA personally.”

Analysis: 5 takeaways from Ayton's 'internal', Booker misfiring and Paul falling short in Game 7 flop

Read more: Phoenix Suns big Deandre Ayton hot topic on ESPN's First Take

Ayton didn't do any postgame interviews after Game 7.

Williams was later asked if Ayton was in Phoenix’s long-term as the Suns didn’t sign him to a rookie max extension or any extension entering the fourth and final year of his rookie year.

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“Deandre’s situation is something that we’ll deal with this summer,” Williams said. “I don’t want to say anything in regards to that.”

Ayton is a restricted free agent, meaning the Suns can match any offer given to him.

For the player to become a restricted free agent, his team must submit a qualifying offer “between the day after the last game” of the NBA Finals, according to the NBA’s rules of free agency.

Disappointing: How the Suns fell five wins short of NBA Finals return

“The qualifying offer is a standing offer for a one-year guaranteed deal, which becomes a regular contact if the player decides to sign it. This ensures that the team does not gain the right of first refusal without offering a contract themselves.”

The qualifying is based on a player’s previous salary.

Ayton’s is set at $16.4 million, according to spotrac.com.

If not given a qualifying offer, the player becomes an unrestricted free agent.

Drafted No. 1 overall in 2018 after a one-and-done season out of Arizona, Ayton averaged a double-double for a fourth straight season at 17.2 points on a career-best 63.4% shooting and 10.2 rebounds.

Read more: Should Phoenix Suns sign-and-trade Deandre Ayton?

Have opinion about current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at dmrankin@gannett.com or contact him at 480-787-1240. Follow him on Twitter at @DuaneRankin.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Monty Williams, Deandre Ayton haven't talked since 'internal' Game 7