DraftKings released a prop bet on what team Deandre Ayton — the starting center from the Phoenix Suns — will end up playing for next season, with the Suns the betting favorite at +100 odds, followed by the Detroit Pistons at +200, San Antonio Spurs at +900, and the Indiana Packers at +1200.
Other teams interested in Ayton next season include the Atlanta Hawks and Charlotte Hornets.
Ayton — the #1 pick in the 2018 NBA Draft out of Arizona — is a restricted free agent and the Suns have the opportunity to match any offer he gets from other teams.
| Prop Bet Odds: Deandre Ayton’s Next Team |
- Phoenix Suns +100
- Detroit Pistons +200
- San Antonio Spurs +900
- Indiana Pacers +1000
- Atlanta Hawks +1200
- Charlotte Hornets +1600
- Toronto Raptors +2000
- Brooklyn Nets +2200
- Houston Rockets +2500
- Portland Trail Blazers +2500
- Washington Wizards +3000
- Chicago Bulls +3500
- New Orleans Pelicans +3500
- Oklahoma City Thunder +4000
- Utah Jazz +4500
- Orlando Magic +5000
- New York Knicks +5000
- Memphis Grizzlies +6500
- Golden State Warriors +6500
- LA Clippers +7000
- Dallas Mavericks +7000
- Sacramento Kings +7000
- Milwaukee Bucks +8000
- LA Lakers +9000
- Miami Heat +9000
Ayton, who turns 24 in July, averaged 17.2 points and 10.2 rebounds in 58 games with the Suns last season. In his fourth season as a pro, he posted a 21.99 PER rating, which is ranked #16 in the NBA. He shot a career-best 63.4% from the floor, knocking down 36.8% of his 3-point shots whenever he attempted the rare trey.
Ayton: Sun setting on Phoenix?
If it’s all about money, then Ayton can only earn $131 million if he signs a four-year deal with another team. However, Ayton can earn nearly $177 million over five years with the Suns if he signs a max contract. That’s the difference between $35.4 million per year if Ayton remains with the Suns or $32.75 million per season if he signs with another team.
If the Suns don’t want to bring Ayton back under a max contract, they could work out a sign-and-trade with another team. Ayton and his camp were miffed that the Suns didn’t offer him a rookie max-contract extension last offseason.
Aside from the Suns, the Pistons emerged as the leading team to sign Ayton in free agency at +200 odds. The Pistons need a center and have the cap space.
Other teams that like Ayton and which are seeking an upgrade at center for next season include the San Antonio Spurs (+900 odds), Indiana Pacers (+1000), Atlanta Hawks (+1200), Charlotte Hornets (+1600), and Toronto Raptors (+2000). The Spurs, Pacers, Hawks, Hornets, and Raptors could be possible partners in a potential sign-and-trade involving Ayton.
Ayton: Benched in Game 7
One day someone will write a book or produce a 30 for 30 documentary about the utter failure of the 2021-22 Phoenix Suns.
The Suns were the runner-up in the 2021 NBA Finals when they lost to the Milwaukee Bucks. They entered the 2021-22 season with a mission to return to the NBA Finals and win the 2022 championship. During the regular season, the Suns were the best team in the NBA with 64 wins, which garnered them the #1 seed in the Western Conference playoffs and locked up home-court advantage through the entire postseason.
However, the Suns imploded in the Western Conference semifinals during one of the worst Game 7 performances in NBA history. The top-ranked Suns were obliterated by the #4 Dallas Mavericks in Game 7 on their home court. The game was out of reach in the first half and the Suns trailed by 46 points at their lowest point before eventually losing by 33 points.
Monty Williams — the 2022 NBA Coach of the Year — benched Ayton in the second half. To this day, no one knows the exact reason for the benching, aside from Williams, who called it an internal issue. Numerous pundits cite the incident as the main reason Ayton won’t play for the Suns next season, and why the Pistons are the favorite team to land him.
The Suns are sixth on the NBA futures board at +900 odds to win the 2023 championship. In Western Conference title odds, the Suns are third on the board at +425, trailing the Golden State Warriors (+310) and LA Clippers (+350).