REPORT: Deandre Ayton Signs Max Offer Sheet With Pacers

EDITORS Note: The Phoenix Suns have reportedly matched the record offer sheet the Pacers made to Deandre Ayton on Thursday, per Adrian Wojnarowski.

Deandre Ayton has reportedly signed a four-year max offer sheet with the Indiana Pacers, according to NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

Ayton’s agent, Nima Namakian, negotiated the largest offer sheet in League history for Ayton to head to Indiana. Free agency talks between Ayton’s reps and the Suns’ front office have been up and down after multiple reports said that Phoenix thought they could find another center that offered what Ayton could do on the court. Phoenix reportedly sent him a qualifying offer on the eve of free agency.

Last summer, the two parties couldn’t agree on a deal to keep Ayton on Phoenix. Since then, GM James Jones publicly stated he was confident that Phoenix could bring Ayton back to the fold. Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic subsequently reported that multiple teams were interested in acquiring Ayton before Indiana emerged as the favorite to sign him in May.

Woj further reported that Phoenix seemed unlikely to want to send Ayton to Indiana via sign-and-trade but is likely to match the offer that the Pacers extended. The Suns have 48 hours before deciding on matching the largest offer sheet in NBA history. If they do, Phoenix could trade Ayton as soon as January 15.

Ayton averaged 17.2 points and 10.2 rebounds per game on 63.4 percent shooting from the field.