3 things we learned from Phoenix Suns matching Indiana Pacers max offer sheet on DeAndre Ayton
The Phoenix Suns have matched the four-year, $133M max offer sheet the Indiana Pacers presented to DeAndre Ayton on Thursday, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
Following Phoenix's decision to match the offer, DeAndre Ayton can't be traded without his consent for an entire year. He will be ineligible for trade until January 15, 2023.
As soon as the Suns received the four-year, $133M offer sheet, the franchise matched it. Deandre Ayton returns to Phoenix and can't be traded without his consent for a full year. twitter.com/wojespn/status…
Ayton was excited about joining the Pacers and teaming up with Tyrese Haliburton as the cornerstone player of the team's rebuild. The Suns, however, decided to keep them on their roster.
The Suns also made history on Thursday. They now hold the record for the largest matched contract in NBA history. Ayton's contract surpassed the 4-year, $106.5M deal given to Otto Porter in 2017 by the Washington Wizards (via ESPN Stats & Info).
If the Suns match Ayton's offer with the Pacers it will be the largest matched contract in NBA history.
Surpassing the 4-year/$106.5M deal given to Otto Porter in 2017 by the Wizards. twitter.com/espn/status/15…
With DeAndre Ayton set to remain with the franchise for at least another six months, we learned three things from the deal.
Phoenix Suns never planned to let DeAndre Ayton go
The Suns knew that if they didn't match Indiana's offer sheet, they would lose the former No.1 pick for nothing. They didn't want that to happen.
While they don't consider him a max-level player, the Suns know he is one of the best big men in the league. His departure would be harmful to the franchise.
Ayton has elevated his game since joining the NBA four years ago. He has averaged a double-double in four straight seasons, improving several aspects of his game.
Last season, he averaged 17 points and 10 rebounds while shooting 63% from the field (career-high).
He was among Phoenix's top players alongside Chris Paul and Devin Booker. Ayton contributed to a historic regular season for the Suns, who set a new winning record in franchise history (64-18).
So, keeping him on the roster will benefit the Phoenix Suns as DeAndre Ayton is nowhere near his prime yet.
Phoenix Suns aim to run it back with the same core next season
The second thing we learned from the Suns' decision to match the Pacers' offer was that they view Ayton as a cornerstone player.
The Suns have dominated the regular season for two straight years; however, they have come up short in the playoffs.
In 2021, they lost the NBA Finals to the Milwaukee Bucks in six games (4-2), despite leading the series 2-0.
In 2022, they lost to the Dallas Mavericks in seven games (4-3) and got eliminated from the Western Conference Finals, despite having a home-court advantage.
The Suns have proved their title contender status and are ready to win the championship.
Chris Paul and Devin Booker are the superstar duo of the team, while Ayton has emerged as the third star.
He has been an integral part of the Suns' success over the past couple of years and is an excellent fit for coach Monty Williams' tactics.
DeAndre Ayton has been dominant inside the paint on both ends. He is an effective scorer, great rebounder and solid defender. Even though the Suns believe he is not a max-level player, they understand how valuable he is to the team.
Phoenix Suns unlikely to trade for Kevin Durant after keeping DeAndre Ayton
After matching Indiana Pacers' max offer sheet on DeAndre Ayton, the Phoenix Suns are not expected to pursue a Kevin Durant trade.
Given the Brooklyn Nets' trade demands, the Suns would have no other option but to include Ayton in the package.
Phoenix can't trade Ayton until January 15, 2023, and the big man has veto power for a year. This would make it difficult for the Suns to construct a lucrative package to land Kevin Durant.
Hence, the two-time NBA champion will likely need to erase Phoenix from his preferred destinations list.
