Thursday will open the market for free agents and among the files to follow there will be that of Deandre Ayton. The interior is restricted free agent and its agent has clearly announced that it wants the maximum. The concern is that the Suns would not be inclined to give it to him and it is rumored that they would be about to attempt a sign & trade so as not to let him go without compensation.
A lot of franchises would be interested, of which 2 would be very hot according to The Athletic, the Detroit Pistons and the Atlanta Hawks. The Pistons, who got rid of the contract of Straw Grant, would be ready to offer him the maximum and are able to do so without worry. As for the Hawks, they do not have the cap space to offer him the maximum directly, but could do so via a sign & trade, probably by offering John Collins. However, if we are to believe The Athletic, the Hawks would not be ready to offer him the maximum.
The Suns can offer him $176.9 million over 5 years according to the salary cap projections and the other teams $131.2 million over 4 years.
This season Ayton has shot 17.3 points, 10 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 0.7 against, but against the highly anticipated Mavericks, especially to punish the Texans’ small ball, he did not have the expected impact, and he looked much of Game 7 on the bench.
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