Deandre Ayton to Magic? Betting Odds to Sign Former Suns No. 1 Pick

Deandre Ayton is set to enter restricted free agency this summer.

Jeremy Brener | May 18, 2022

Deandre Ayton to Magic? Betting Odds to Sign Former Suns No. 1 Pick /

Phoenix Suns center Deandre Ayton is about to enter restricted free agency this summer and a number of teams are projected to be interested in the No. 1 overall pick.

According to SportsBetting.ag, the Magic have the second-best odds along with the Indiana Pacers to land Ayton at +400 if he doesn't re-sign with the Suns.

DeAndre Ayton

Ayton, who turns 24 this summer, didn't leave the best impression for the Suns if he wanted a max contract. In a blowout Game 7 loss to the Dallas Mavericks at home, Ayton scored just five points while playing just 17 minutes. He also appeared to be confrontational with head coach Monty Williams.

Ayton is a restricted free agent, meaning the Suns will have an opportunity to match any offer another team gives. But given Ayton's struggles and baggage from Game 7, would the Suns give Ayton a max contract?

Last year when seeking an extension after making it all the way to the NBA Finals, the Suns declined to offer Ayton the max deal he was looking for. His stock is lower now, meaning their chances of offering him the max are even lower.

If he signs with the Suns, Ayton's maximum deal is 5 years, $172.5 million. Because the Suns hold his Bird rights, he can make more money with the Suns than any other team.

Mo Bamba

Jonathan Isaac

USATSI_18010148 — Robert Deutsch/USA Today Sports

Paolo Banchero

The Orlando Magic are in an interesting position in the Ayton sweepstakes. While Orlando doesn't provide Ayton the best opportunity to continue contending next season, the team gives him the best opportunity to become the lead player in an organization. Ayton would essentially become the face of the franchise the moment he signs on the dotted line.

Orlando's vision is to build this team through the draft, but sometimes a shortcut or two is needed.

If Weltman seeks out Ayton, it wouldn't be the first time he's been interested in acquiring a former No. 1 overall pick. In 2019, the team traded for Markelle Fultz from the Philadelphia 76ers, and while the former Washington Huskies guard hasn't lived up to that No. 1 overall pick potential in Orlando, he offered a beacon to get the Magic back to where it wants to be.

And Ayton would do the exact same thing.

Published May 18, 2022

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.