Utah not a likely destination for Deandre Ayton

Toronto and Indiana have repeatedly been mentioned as looming landing spots for the talented young center, but Utah has been described to B/R as an unlikely destination for Ayton, despite the Jazz moving off Gobert.
Source: Jake Fischer @ Bleacher Report

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

Ira Winderman @IraHeatBeat
Top remaining FAs: Harden, Ayton, Miles Bridges, Sexton, Harrell, T. Bryant, Schroder, Caleb Martin, Whiteside, Aus. Rivers, Rodney Hood, Carmelo, Rondo, Dw. Howard, Mark. Morris, Elfrid Payton, Millsap, Ellington, Griffin, Tristan Thompson, Kemba Walker. sun-sentinel.com/sports/miami-h… – 9:13 PM

Sam Quinn @SamQuinnCBS
Here are my Western Conference tiers with current rosters (i.e no Kyrie for Lakers, no Ayton for Suns):
Tier 1
1. LAC
2. GSW
3. DEN
Tier 2
4. MEM
5. PHX
6. DAL
7. MIN
8. NOP
Tier 3
9. POR
10. LAL
11. SAC
12. UTA
Tier 4
13. OKC
14. HOU
15. SAS – 4:58 PM

Sam Quinn @SamQuinnCBS
Let’s say the Nets decide to keep KD into the season…
Does Phoenix bring back Ayton in anticipation of another chance at trading for Durant? They can’t risk the asset if Durant is still on the table right? – 2:12 PM

Tommy Beer @TommyBeer
Top free agents still on the board
James Harden
Deandre Ayton
Miles Bridges
Collin Sexton
T.J. Warren
Caleb Martin
Thomas Bryant
Dennis Schroder
Montrezl Harrell
Jordan Nwora
Jeremy Lamb
Carmelo Anthony
DeMarcus Cousins
Frank Jackson
Josh Jackson
Hassan Whiteside
Blake Griffin – 9:28 AM

Aaron Rose @AaronBenRose
Would you trade OG Anunoby and Gary Trent Jr for Deandre Ayton and Mikal Bridges? – 3:07 PM

Ira Winderman @IraHeatBeat
NBA free agents: Serge Ibaka back to Bucks; Heat’s Martin, Morris still without deals sun-sentinel.com/sports/miami-h… Top remaining FAs: Harden, Ayton, Bridges, Warren, Sexton, Harrell, Bryant, Schroder, Whiteside, Rivers, Hood, Bazemore, Anthony, Rondo, Howard, Payton, Griffin, Walker. – 1:34 PM

Kelly Iko @KellyIkoNBA
There’s a Kevin Durant situation that needs solving.
There’s a Deandre Ayton situation that needs solving.
And the rebuilding, flexible Rockets might have a solution — but not in the way you might think.
New IkoSystem for @The Athletic: theathletic.com/3396543/2022/0… – 9:34 AM

Aaron Rose @AaronBenRose
Had Deandre Ayton signed the max extension last summer, he’d be ineligible to be traded to the Nets due to that weird rookie extension rule. By not signing that extension, the Suns may now end up with Kevin Durant. Weird – 10:34 AM

More on this storyline

 

Westbrook is also set to make $47 million in 2022-23, roughly $11 million more than Irving. This exercise is not apples to apples, but if Brooklyn essentially replaced Irving’s contract with Westbrook’s, the Nets would suffer over $50 million in tax penalties, according to salary projections provided to B/R. As league personnel descend upon Las Vegas for the NBA’s Summer League this week, the Durant, Irving and Ayton situations all appear destined to hang over the annual event for the foreseeable future. -via Bleacher Report / July 6, 2022

There are still expected to be other suitors for Ayton, league sources told B/R, and an offer sheet could come soon now that the moratorium is ending. When an NBA team signs a restricted free agent to an offer sheet, the two-day window in which the player’s incumbent team can match said offer can only begin once the moratorium period concludes. Signing a sheet before Wednesday afternoon would have locked the offering team into a difficult purgatory. Only Indiana and San Antonio currently hold the cap space to give Ayton the payday he wants. -via Bleacher Report / July 6, 2022

The Raptors are the most obvious team fitting that description. For Toronto to land Ayton, the Raptors would need to sacrifice valuable players or picks in a sign-and-trade that could be used for Durant instead. Of important note regarding Toronto: Multiple sources with knowledge of the situation say the Raptors are unwilling to part with reigning Rookie of the Year Scottie Barnes. -via Bleacher Report / July 6, 2022