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

Suns match Pacers' maximum offer sheet on Deandre Ayton

By Andrew Kulha | Last updated 7/14/22

It turns out the Phoenix Suns actually want Deandre Ayton after all.

For a minute, it appeared as if Ayton was going to find himself a new home in the Midwest with the Indiana Pacers. The Pacers had offered Ayton a max contract, worth $133 million over four years.

Ayton was a free agent, but a restricted free agent, which meant that the Suns had the opportunity to match that offer in order to keep Ayton.

That's exactly what they did, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium:

The Phoenix Suns have matched the Indiana Pacers’ four-year, $133 million maximum offer sheet on Deandre Ayton, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Ayton stays in Phoenix.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 15, 2022

Although there has been speculation that the Suns could let Ayton walk if he was offered a max elsewhere, it sounds like ultimately, that was never the plan in Phoenix.

The Suns made clear throughout free agency that the franchise intended to bring Ayton back – and were committed to spend in order to continue competing for a title around All-NBA star Devin Booker, Chris Paul and Ayton. Phoenix now goes approximately $15M into the tax. https://t.co/PCVHYtk6OH
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 15, 2022

Not only was Suns owner Robert Sarver willing to match the offer the Pacers threw Ayton's way, but Phoenix did so quickly while also going into the luxury tax.

The Suns are going to run it back — again — and hope that this time the trio of Ayton, Devin Booker and Chris Paul will be enough to bring home the Larry O'Brien Trophy.

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