Phoenix Suns center Deandre Ayton. Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Report: Pacers interested in signing Deandre Ayton to offer sheet

By Mike Santa Barbara | Last updated Jul 7, 2022 5:24 PM ET

Phoenix Suns center Deandre Ayton seems to have gotten lost among the craziness of the NBA offseason.

With the draft in the rearview and free agency officially underway, Ayton's situation may be resolved sooner rather than later.

According to ESPN's Brian Windhorst, the Indiana Pacers are interested in signing Ayton to an offer sheet and have also mulled over the possibility of a sign-and-trade with the Suns.

"The Indiana Pacers are seriously considering giving him an offer sheet," Windhorst said on ESPN's "Get Up!" on Thursday. "They're also interested in negotiating a sign-and-trade with the Phoenix Suns for Ayton, potentially involving Myles Turner to be his replacement at center."

The Pacers are interested in signing Deandre Ayton to an offer sheet or even negotiating a sign-and-trade involving Myles Turner, per @WindhorstESPN.

"But holding everything up is the Suns' negotiations for Kevin Durant. ... Ayton may have to move on and do his own deal." pic.twitter.com/cSciehuI1p
— Evan Sidery (@esidery) July 7, 2022

Windhorst said that the Suns' negotiations to try and acquire Kevin Durant have held up the process with Ayton. He added that Ayton may have to "move on and do his own deal."

Last month, Bleacher Report's Jake Fischer named several teams expected to have interest in Ayton, including the Atlanta Hawks, Detroit Pistons, and Toronto Raptors.

Fischer also included the Pacers as suitors for Ayton, reporting from sources that say a sign-and-trade for Myles Turner is possible.

Ayton averaged 17.2 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 1.4 assists in 58 games for the Suns last season. In 13 postseason games, Ayton averaged 17.9 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 1.7 assists.

The No. 1 overall pick by the Suns in the 2018 draft, Ayton has averaged 16.3 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 1.6 assists in 236 career games in Phoenix.

Mike Santa Barbara

Mike Santa Barbara is a Wilmington, Delaware native (Yes, it's a real place) with over a decade of sports writing experience. A diehard Philadelphia sports fan, he has two dogs named after Flyers and cried real tears when the Eagles won Super Bowl LII. You can follow him on Twitter at @mike__sb

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