En two days, the best available free agent will leave the market, because the Indiana Pacers presented a historic offer to the Suns pvot, Deandre Ayton.
As reported by the Bahamian player’s agents to ESPN, The Pacers offered a 4-year, $133 million deal.the most in history for a restricted free agent, surpassing the 4 years and 107 million that the Nets gave to Otto Porter Jr. in 2017 and that Washington ended up matching. The largest unmatched qualifying offer was the one the Mavericks gave to Harrison Barnes of the Warriors in 2016.
The Pacers have just $26.2 million in salary-cap space, so they will have to move contracts to release 4.7 million and thus receive the more than 30.9 million of the offer presented to Ayton, according to data from ESPN.
Phoenix has 48 hours to match the offer and retain Aytonwho was allowed to reach restricted free agency by not agreeing to an extension prior to last season. If the Suns match the offer, they can’t trade the pvot until Jan. 15.but they won’t be able to move it to Indiana next season.
Ayton was in the rumors about a possible Trade package the Suns will do for Kevin Durantbut those negotiations have not advanced and now they could lose the player they chose with the first selection of the Draft in 2018 on Luka Doncic. With Wednesday’s movement, this option is ruled out at least for the remainder of 2022.
In four NBA seasons, Ayton is averaging 16.3 points, 10.5 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.0 blocks per game. On 21/22, his averages were 17.2, 10.2, 1.4 and 0.7, but the Suns they never gave him a contract extension offer.
Ayton’s last game with the Suns was the blowout against the Mavs in Game 7 of the Western semifinals, in which the pvot I didn’t play the last 20 minutes, ending the campaign in which Phoenix had the best record in the NBA, having lost the 2021 Finals against the Bucks.
