PHOENIX (AP) — Deandre Ayton finally got a new contract from the Phoenix Suns who just aren’t willing to let him go for nothing.
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A person familiar with the matter said the Suns decided to quickly match the $133 million, four-year contract Ayton agreed to Thursday with the Indiana Pacers.
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The source requested anonymity from The Associated Press for comment because the decision had not yet been made public.
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The Athletic was the first outlet to report that Phoenix had matched the Pacers’ offer. Similarly, ESPN was the first to report Ayton’s deal with the Pacers.
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The decision means, at least for now, that the Suns will keep their core game with Ayton and defensive backs Devin Booker and Chris Paul, who have both appeared in the NBA All-Star Game.
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This third of players took Phoenix to the NBA Finals in 2021 and the team achieved its best mark to date of 64 wins in the most recent regular season.
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Ayton, the first pick in the 2018 draft, was eligible last summer to receive a contract extension from Phoenix.
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But it didn’t happen, and the player became a restricted free agent this summer, giving Phoenix the chance to match any offer another team made for the player.
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When Indiana made its offer to Ayton, the Suns reacted immediately.
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According to reports, Phoenix is interested in acquiring Brooklyn star Kevin Durant in the offseason, without Ayton being used as a trade bait under the new deal.
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The Suns’ move is a blow to the Pacers, who had hoped to add Ayton as a key player in a promising core of young players that includes 22-year-old point guard Tyrese Haliburton, acquired in February in a trade with Sacramento.
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Ayton, who turns 24 this month, had a rocky start to his career but became a crucial component in the Suns’ run to the Finals.
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He is part of the players signed in the 2018 draft that include Dallas’ Luca Doncic and Atlanta’s Trae Young. Both point guards had more individual wins, but neither has gone further into the postseason.
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Ayton, 2.11 meters (6 feet 11 inches) tall, has power in the low post and has developed a dangerous mid-range game.
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The previous season he averaged 17.2 points and 10.2 rebounds per game and shot 64.4% from the field and 36.8% on three-pointers.
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