TDL Archived: The 2nd Rnd Pick Yankee Swap

[Kammrath]

Ayton's restricted free agency appears to be the offseason domino Durant's trade limbo has most directly stalled. 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.

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.

But even if an offer from the Pacers or Spurs emerges, it's possible Ayton would prefer sign-and-trade outcomes to a playoff unit over two different rebuilding situations.