By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net
The Phoenix Suns have matched the Indiana Pacers’ four-year, $133 million max offer sheet to their starting center DeAndre Ayton, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
The Pacers signed Ayton to the largest offer sheet in NBA history on Thursday, and while the Suns had 48 hours to decide whether or not to match the offer, they did so immediately, according to Wojnarowski.
Since Ayton signed an offer sheet with another team, he can no longer be signed and traded this offseason. The Pacers are not allowed to trade for him for a full year and Ayton will remain in Phoenix at least until January 15, 2023, but has the right to veto any trades involving him that Phoenix attempts to make for the next year.
Ayton, the No.1 overall pick of the 2018 NBA draft, posted averages of 17.2 points and 10.2 rebounds across 52 games in the 2021-22 season.