Phoenix Suns matched Indiana Pacers’ restricted free agent center’s four-year $ 133 million offer sheet Deandre AytonHe paved the way back to the franchise, his agents Bill Duffy and Nima Namakian told ESPN Thursday night.
The Sands had to match the largest offer sheet in NBA history until Saturday at 11:59 pm, but soon matched and ended the Pacers’ pursuit of Eighton.
Phoenix did not show a tendency to negotiate a sign-and-trade deal with Indiana before Eighton signed the sheet, sources said. If the Sands don’t match, you’ve lost Eighton, who is number one overall in the 2018 NBA Draft.
Sands will not be able to trade Eighton until January 15th-and will not be able to trade him for a year without his consent.This removes Eighton from off-season trading scenarios that could involve Brooklyn Nets stars. Kevin Durant..
Namakian of Innovate Sports and Duffy of BDA Sports and WME insisted on Sands that Ayton’s largest contract offer could be found on the market and offered it with the offer sheet. Sands never made Eighton the biggest offer, suggesting he didn’t rate him as the biggest player.
The largest offer sheet signed by a team that did not match is Harrison Barnes The Dallas Mavericks signed $ 94.4 million in 2016 for four years. That same summer, former Burns team Golden State Warriors signed Durant as a free agent.
Eighton was keen on the possibility of pairing with a talented young guard Tyrese Haliburton And when it came to the centerpiece of the Pacers’ reconstruction, sources told ESPN.
Indiana has been traded Malcolm Brogdon Early in this off-season Domantas Sabonis Last season, a transition to a new era centered around the rising star Halliburton and the exciting young backcoats of newcomers Benedict MaturinThe sixth pick of the NBA Draft last month.
The Pacers had to clear the $ 4.7 million cap space in order for Eighton to sign the largest offer sheet.To do that, Indiana abandoned the guards Duane Washington He abandoned and stretched the three players who arrived in the trade with Brogdon in Boston. Malik Fitz, Juwan Morgan When Nik StauskasSources told ESPN.
Eighton, who will turn 24 next week, was drafted on the first pick of the 2018 draft from Arizona. It’s also part of a star-studded draft class. Luka Doncic (Third), Jaren Jackson Jr... (the 4th), Trae Young (Fifth) and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (11th).
After forming the first All-Rookie team in 2019, Eighton evolved into a quality starting center with an average of 16.3 points and 10.5 rebounds, helping Phoenix defend during the 2021 NBA Finals. -The championship round since Charles Barkley led the Sands in 1993 when the franchise first reached the league.
Eighton averaged 17.2 points and 10.2 rebounds this past season, shooting 63.4% from the field and 74.6% from the foul line.
After an outstanding regular season, the league’s record was over, and the Phoenix postseason lost to the Mavericks in Round 7 of the Western Conference semifinals. Game Eighton watched most of the second half from the bench.
When asked why it happened after the match, Sands coach Monty Williams said, “It’s internal.” Meanwhile, Eighton refused to speak to reporters after the match.
ESPN’s Tim Bontemps and Bobby Marks contributed to this report.
