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Despite being a cornerstone of the Phoenix Suns since being drafted in 2018, Deandre Ayton and the team both failed to reach an agreement on a contract extension last offseason. The star big man demanded a max salary of five-year, $170 million but the Suns didn't budge as they opted to pay the other players on their roster instead.
Ayton was supposed to have a prove-it season to show the Suns front office that he deserves to get the amount of money that he was previously asking for. He ended the 2021-22 season with averages of 17.2 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 0.7 blocks in 58 appearances. Despite his numbers, the Suns failed to reach the Western Conference Finals as they lost to the Dallas Mavericks in seven games.
The Bahamian center only played 17 minutes in the season-ending loss as he watched his team get clobbered and eliminated from the playoffs. Heading to the offseason, Ayton is set to become a restricted free agent. The Suns can still match other offers on the table though there is also a strong possibility that the center might see himself suiting up for another team next season.
With that said, let's take a look at the four best landing spots for Ayton in the upcoming offseason.
4 best destinations for Deandre Ayton
The San Antonio Spurs have emerged as a potential destination for Deandre Ayton since they are one of the teams with significant cap space available heading to next season, per Spotrac. This will allow them to add more weapons to a rebuilding team filled with young guys at the moment.
Moreover, it's been a while since the Spurs had a marquee big man on their roster. They will get a chance to add one if they opt to offer a contract for Ayton who can also form a duo with their lead playmaker in Dejounte Murray. The Spurs have been struggling to get wins due to the inexperience of their team but they will get more stability, especially in their frontline unit with the help of Ayton.
Another young rebuilding team in the Charlotte Hornets can emerge as potential suitors for Deandre Ayton in the upcoming offseason. The squad hasn't been to the playoffs since 2015-16 due to the lack of pieces on their roster. However, the future of the franchise has been filled with more optimism with the continuous development of young talent like LaMelo Ball, Miles Bridges, and PJ Washington who will only get better moving forward.
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Similar to the Spurs, they are also in dire need of a steady presence inside the paint. Not to mention that one of their more productive big men in Montrezl Harrell is set to become an unrestricted free agent in the upcoming offseason. It only makes sense for the Hornets to pursue the services of Ayton who can finally provide them with much-needed help in the scoring, rebounding, and blocking departments moving forward.
If Charlotte succeeds in acquiring Ayton then they can continue to advance their rebuilding efforts and finally put an end to their playoff drought sooner than later.
Deandre Ayton has also been linked to the Atlanta Hawks heading to the offseason. For the past few months, it was John Collins who was involved in trade rumors but no deal has come to fruition as he remains to be a member of the team up to this day. The Hawks also have a serviceable center in Clint Capela but Ayton will surely be an upgrade for them at the five spot if they get to land his services.
Pairing Ayton with a talented guard like Trae Young will elevate the Hawks' overall level of play. Out of all the teams listed, Atlanta might just present the best opportunity for Ayton to contribute to a team that has a realistic chance to go all the way in the near future. They've already come close to entering the NBA Finals back in the 2020-21 season and nabbing the Bahamian big man could just be the key for them to become strong contenders for the title in the years to come.
Perhaps the most intriguing team on this list would be the Portland Trail Blazers. The team has consistently made it to the playoffs over the past decade but has yet to truly come close to winning the title. The front office also decided to part ways with key players like CJ McCollum, Norman Powell, and Robert Covington midway through the 2021-22 season.
With their roster now filled with younger guys, getting Deandre Ayton could serve as a huge boost to the team, especially in terms of their inside presence. Their main big man in Jusuf Nurkic can still produce though multiple injuries have slowed him down in the past couple of years.
At the age of 31, Damian Lillard isn't getting any younger too so the Blazers must move fast if they want to have a more competitive team next season. If they get to acquire Ayton then the six-time All-Star will finally have a complementary big who can serve as a scoring threat and be a reliable option in pick and roll situations.
With an aim to return to the playoffs after a one-year absence, the Blazers would be wise to call the Suns' number and put an offer on the table for Ayton's services.
