The Indiana Pacers embarked on the first rebuild in franchise history ahead of the NBA trade deadline. They traded away veterans Domantas Sabonis, Caris LeVert and Torrey Craig looking to better set the franchise up for the future.
Heading into the offseason, more of the same was expected. Malcolm Brogdon was traded to the Boston Celtics as the team added a 2023 first-round pick in the process. Myles Turner and Buddy Hield are two more veterans that have been mentioned as potential trade targets as well this offseason.
While Indiana has operated as a seller for the last few months, they may be switching gears very soon. Brian Windhorst, during an appearance on ESPN’s Get Up, shared that Indiana is getting very close to extending an offer sheet to restricted free agent Deandre Ayton.
A sign-and-trade is also a possibility, which could very well include Turner heading to the desert. But, something is expected to break as early as today when it comes to Ayton and the Pacers.
“We believe that the Indiana Pacers are very close to giving Deandre Ayton an offer sheet or executing a sign-and-trade… We could see something with the Pacers and Ayton as early as today,” Windhorst said.
LATEST NBA NEWS AND TRADE RUMORS: This Trade Swaps Indiana Pacers’ Myles Turner, Phoenix Suns’ Deandre Ayton
This would be a huge deal because one of the Suns’ best bargaining chips in their pursuit of Kevin Durant from the Brooklyn Nets is Ayton. If he signs an offer sheet with the Pacers, it will complicate those already arduous negotiations.
The No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, Ayton was seeking a max rookie extension but Suns ownership didn’t believe he was worth that much. Their stance did not change following the 2021-22 season, which is partly why the situation has gotten to where it has.
Indiana has near max cap space after trading Brogdon to the Celtics, so they could always offer Ayton an offer sheet without a sign-and-trade being done. That is the route that Phoenix would undoubtedly like to take as they do not want to lose their starting center for nothing in free agency.
LATEST NBA NEWS AND TRADE RUMORS: This Trade Swaps Indiana Pacers’ Myles Turner, Phoenix Suns’ Deandre Ayton
Acquiring Ayton would give the Pacers building blocks at every position as he would join Tyrese Haliburton, Chris Duarte, Benedict Mathurn, Jalen Smith, Isaiah Jackson, Goga Bitadze and Oshae Brissett as their new young core.
