It appears the Indiana Pacers may have moved themselves to the top of the list of teams likely to land restricted free agent Deandre Ayton.
While appearing on ESPN’s Get Up, Brian Windhorst mentioned the Pacers are prepared to sign Ayton to a max offer sheet or work out a sign-and-trade for him.
Myles Turner would almost certainly be the player headed back to Phoenix, as his name has been bandied about in trade rumors going back to last season.
As an RFA, Phoenix can match any offer that comes Ayton’s way. However, previous reports stated the Suns do not see Ayton as a max player, which appears to be a sentiment shared around the league. If a team offered Ayton a deal close to the max, it would present a tricky decision for Phoenix general manager James Jones.
Ayton has been a steady presence in the middle for the Suns, averaging a double-double in each of his first four seasons.
FanDuel Sportsbook currently has the Suns holding the third-best NBA Finals odds at +650, although that number should change if Ayton departs.
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