A Kevin Durant commerce to the Phoenix Suns simply grew to become far more tough, if not unattainable.
Suns restricted free agent heart Deandre Ayton is anticipated to signal the biggest supply sheet in NBA historical past — a four-year, $133 million cope with the Indiana Pacers — that the Suns may have 48 hours to determine whether or not or to not match.
Ayton, who has been on the outs in Phoenix ever since they opted towards extending his contract final summer season, has been an integral piece to any hypothetical Durant deal between the Nets and the Suns.
And as quickly as he places pen to paper with a suggestion sheet, Ayton is formally off the board.
That’s as a result of the collective bargaining settlement prevents groups from buying and selling a participant who has signed a suggestion sheet with one other crew. The Suns, in the event that they determine to match the supply sheet Ayton signed, are prohibited from buying and selling their standout heart to a crew he doesn’t consent to. The Suns would even be prohibited from buying and selling Ayton to the Pacers till the 2023-24 NBA season.
More importantly, if the Suns match Ayton’s supply sheet, he turns into ineligible for a sign-and-trade, which suggests Phoenix could be unable to commerce their large man till Jan. 15.
If the Nets are going to honor Durant’s commerce request, they’d be finest suited doing so forward of late September coaching camp.
Which brings us again to the dwindling choices on the negotiating desk. Without Ayton’s involvement in a commerce — both acquired by the Nets or re-routed elsewhere for draft compensation — it’s arduous to conceive a cope with the Suns that Brooklyn would deem worthy of parting methods with top-of-the-line gamers in NBA historical past. Assuming Devin Booker and Chris Paul are off the desk, Phoenix’s finest remaining belongings other than their first-round draft picks are Defensive Player of the Year candidate Mikal Bridges, 3-and-D wing Jae Crowder, third-year ahead Cameron Johnson and reserve level guard Cameron Payne. That haul is unacceptable. Even the haul that included Ayton was questionable.
That leaves the Toronto Raptors (reigning Rookie of the Year Scottie Barnes), New Orleans Pelicans (Brandon Ingram) and Miami Heat (Bam Adebayo) the very best remaining potential Durant commerce locations, with Donovan Mitchell’s evolving availability in Utah as a wild card in all discussions.
The Nets, after all, can not purchase Adebayo or Mitchell in any commerce with out additionally dealing Ben Simmons as a result of the CBA prevents groups from buying and selling for a couple of participant who has signed a rookie max extension. Simmons signed one with the 76ers earlier than the Nets acquired him within the James Harden deal.
The most suitable choice, nevertheless, continues to be on the desk: working issues again with Durant, Simmons, Kyrie Irving and a roster that common supervisor Sean Marks has rounded out by buying T.J. Warren, Royce O’Neale and Edmond Sumner this offseason. Marks nonetheless has the taxpayer mid-level exception value a most $20 million over three years that he can use to signal a number of free brokers. The Nets nonetheless want a beginning or backup heart with Nic Claxton being the one large with reliable NBA expertise on the roster.
Ayton’s choice, and his timing, made all of the sense on this planet. Durant’s commerce request froze basketball enterprise for a few week, however ultimately, Ayton needed to safe his bag, particularly if it wasn’t coming from Phoenix.
Durant has already secured his to the tune of $198 million over 4 years, giving the Nets slight leverage as they maneuver an important offseason in franchise historical past. The longer they wait, nevertheless, the extra they danger dropping that leverage, as a result of the very last thing the franchise needs is a darkish cloud following the crew into coaching camp and marking the common season.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com