Deandre Ayton and the Portland Trail Blazers have agreed to a buyout, allowing Ayton to enter free agency, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. Ayton, who will turn 27 next month, joined Portland in 2023 through a three-team trade that also involved Damian Lillard moving to the Milwaukee Bucks. Over two seasons with the Trail Blazers, Ayton averaged 15.7 points, 10.6 rebounds, and a shooting percentage of 56.9%, though injuries limited him to 40 games last season and 55 the year before.
Ayton was set to enter the final year of his four-year, $133 million contract that he initially signed with Phoenix, with a salary of $35.6 million due next season. Portland, however, prefers to focus on developing their young talent, including first-round draft picks Jan Hansen in 2025 and Donovan Klingan in 2024, alongside several promising big men.
As a free agent, Ayton is expected to attract significant interest given his consistent double-double averages over seven NBA seasons and his status as the top pick in the 2018 draft. While once a key player for Phoenix, highlighted by his role in the 2020-21 NBA Finals, his time there ended on a less favorable note, and Portland has seemingly reached a similar conclusion. Despite some inconsistencies and a sometimes frustrating play style, Ayton’s youth and overall skill make him a valuable asset in the current market.
Fan Take: This buyout opens the door for Ayton to potentially become a game-changing addition to a new team hungry for a dominant big man. For basketball fans, it highlights the ever-evolving nature of team dynamics and the importance of managing talent, contracts, and team chemistry in today’s NBA.
