ayton staying in phoenix
Tonight, restricted free-agent Deandre Ayton will sign an offer sheet for the Indiana Pacers. Shortly after the Phoenix Suns matched the $133 million offer sheet for the restricted free agent to remain in the desert.
With the uncertainty surrounding Ayton's future in Arizona this move by Phoenix is far from a statement about Ayton's futre. The Suns have been playing cat and mouse with the center the entire 2022-2023 season. This move is much more likely Phoenix securing a potential trade asset to Brooklyn in a Kevin Durant trade.
Once the ink on Ayton's contract is dry, he'll be protected from a trade for full year, likely excluding the Suns from being a potential landing spot for Durant.
RIVERS LANDS WITH WOLVES
Veteran gaurd Austin RIvers has signed a one year deal with Minnesota according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. Rivers has been a jounryman in the NBA over his career, playing last year in Denver. The Wolves are in need of some bench scoring and another perimiter player after the loss of Patrick Beverly.
knicks working to acquire mitchell
The New York Knicks are in hot pursuit of Utah guard Donovan Mitchell. Mitchell is a New York native and his agency CAA was the previous emploer of Knicks GM Leon Rose.
Mitchell who seemed to rise to stardom in the NBA bubble in 2020 seemed to be a lock to finsih his career in Utah and be as beloved as Karl Malone and John Stockton. But some less than stellar playoff performances has Danny Ainge working the phones yet again and seemingly hitting the reset button in Salt Lake City.
Earleir this month Rudy Gobert shifted the trade value market after Utah was able ot bring back 4 first roud picks from Minnesota. Ainge also dealt Royce O'Neale to the Brooklyn Nets. Those moves along with letting Joe Ingles exit to Milwaukee all but confirm Ainge working the same strategy he went with when he dismantled Boston's big 3 in 2013 which brought them picks that eventually became Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum.