All eyes have been on Deandre Ayton throughout the summer and it sounds like his future in the league is becoming more clear. The Indiana Pacers offered the star center a max four-year $133 million contract. Now, the Phoenix Suns have 48 hours to match the offer sheet, otherwise, Ayton leaves for Indiana.

According to Adrian Wojnarowski, a sign-and-trade scenario is about to be off the table for Phoenix. “Sign-and-trade deals are [no] longer allowed once Ayton signs the offer sheet with Indiana. If the Suns do match the offer sheet, they can't trade Ayton anywhere until at least Jan. 15 — and can't trade him to Indiana for a year.”

However, the 48-hour clock doesn't begin until midnight, per Bobby Marks. For that reason, a sign-and-trade situation still exists, however, the Suns are facing a running clock. The franchise must make a decision, as the future of the franchise hangs in the balance of this transaction.

Regardless, Phoenix might not be in a rush to match the Pacers' offer sheet. Woj explains it best by stating, “the Suns had never made Ayton an offer, suggesting that they didn't value him as a max player. If they don't match the sheet, the Suns will lose the [former] No. 1 overall pick without compensation.”

And with that, Deandre Ayton's future is still rather murky. The Suns' actions indicate they don't view him as a max player, which opens up the possibility of letting him walk. However, there is still a chance for the club to finalize a sign-and-trade, and if that doesn't happen, expect them to match the Pacers' offer. Perhaps the front office will trade the star center come January in that scenario.