Deandre Ayton is drawing renewed interest from the Indiana Pacers after being bought out by the Portland Trail Blazers.
Deandre Ayton is officially on the market, and the Indiana Pacers are reportedly back in the mix.
Deandre Ayton
Deandre Ayton
Deandre Ayton
MIN: 30.14
PTS: 14.4 (57.77%)
REB: 10.15
As: 1.6
ST: 0.78
BL: 0.98
TO: 1.73
GM: 40
After being bought out by the Portland Trail Blazers this week, Ayton has become one of the most intriguing big man in NBA free agency.
According to NBA insider Jake Fischer, the Pacers have registered interest in the 26-year-old center, though the "safest forecast" is that he will sign with the Los Angeles Lakers after clearing waivers.
This isn’t the first time Indiana has tried to land Ayton. In 2022, they signed him to a four-year, $133 million offer sheet when he was a restricted free agent. The Phoenix Suns matched the deal, keeping Ayton and halting Indiana’s efforts.
Credit AP - Scanpix
Now, with Myles Turner reportedly heading to Milwaukee in free agency, the Pacers are once again in need of a starting-caliber big man.
With Turner joining the Bucks, the reigning Eastern Conference champion Pacers now face a clear gap in their frontcourt, and it appears that Ayton has backing within the organization as a potential solution.
Ayton brings a strong résumé to the table. Through seven NBA seasons, the former No. 1 overall pick has averaged 16.4 points, 10.5 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 1.0 block, while shooting 59.0% from the field.
Although injuries limited him to just 40 games last season in Portland, Ayton still put up 14.4 points, 10.2 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 1.0 block per game, with a 56.6% shooting percentage.
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