It wasn't just the Indiana Pacers who missed out on Deandre Ayton when the Phoenix Suns decided to match their record-breaking $133 million offer sheet for the prized big man. A few other teams around the league also kept a keen eye on Ayton's situation with the Suns, and according to some reports, the San Antonio Spurs were one of them.
As it turns out, however, the Spurs weren't really in the market for Ayton. They may have been observing the developments in Phoenix, but San Antonio never really wanted Ayton in the first place. This report comes via team insider LJ Ellis of Spurs Talk:
According to a reliable source, the Spurs never considered making Ayton an offer in free agency. As SpursTalk reported prior to the start of free agency, Ayton signing with the Spurs was very unlikely. Even when the Spurs were only one of two teams capable of making a max offer to Ayton, the source tells me that San Antonio declined to even engage with Ayton’s camp.
It now seems loud and clear that the Spurs aren't interested in being competitive next year. A full-blown tank season appears underway for coach Gregg Popovich and his men (that is, of course, under the assumption that the legendary coach stays on), and the arrival of Ayton would be counterproductive in this sense.
Ellis also reports that the Spurs could get involved in the looming blockbuster trade deals involving Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and/or Donovan Mitchell. They aren't interested in bringing any of these three superstars to San Antonio, though, with their goal to be a facilitator in a potential deal that will reward them with some draft capital.
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