Ranking 4 best Deandre Ayton free agency destinations after Blazers buyout

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Ranking 4 best Deandre Ayton free agency destinations after Blazers buyout

Brett Siegel · ClutchPoints

Mon, Jun 30, 2025 ·

7 min read

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The post Ranking 4 best Deandre Ayton free agency destinations after Blazers buyout appeared first on ClutchPoints .

Less than 24 hours before the start of NBA free agency , an intriguing name was added to the mix for teams to battle for. Deandre Ayton , the first pick from the 2018 NBA Draft, is finalizing a buyout agreement with the Portland Trail Blazers and will be free to sign with any team in the league once he clears waivers.

Ayton, 26, proved to be one of the best centers in the league during his first two years with the Phoenix Suns , and he was an instrumental part of the team's NBA Finals push in 2021. However, after nearly leaving the Suns in 2022 by way of signing an offer sheet with the Indiana Pacers as a restricted free agent, Ayton returned to Phoenix on a four-year, $133 million contract.

But the damage had been done, and this relationship between the young center and the team that drafted him was tarnished. As a result, Ayton was traded to the Blazers in a deal that sent Jusuf Nurkic to Phoenix in 2023. Since then, Ayton's role has diminished significantly, which ultimately led to Portland's decision to part ways with him as he entered the final year of his contract.

Although virtually no teams held interest in trading for Ayton given his near $35 million cap hit for the 2025-26 season, he now becomes one of the best free agents on the market who could come at a major discount to a contending-like team in need of frontcourt.

Before diving into the top four teams that make the most sense for Ayton, it's worth bringing up some dark horses as honorable mentions.

The Boston Celtics , Milwaukee Bucks , Charlotte Hornets , and Philadelphia 76ers all enter the free agency period seeking frontcourt help. Charlotte just traded Nurkic to the Utah Jazz , and they also traded Mark Williams during the 2025 NBA Draft, resulting in a clear opening for a starting center. Could Deandre Ayton shock everyone and pass on offers from playoff-like teams to try and revive his career with the Hornets?

Philadelphia needs extra depth behind Joel Embiid , Milwaukee is trying to stack talent around Giannis Antetokounmpo , and the Celtics just traded away Kristaps Porzingis . Will Ayton sign with any of these teams?

Here are the destinations that make the most sense for the soon-to-be former Trail Blazers center.

4. San Antonio Spurs

It has become abundantly clear that the San Antonio Spurs need more options in their frontcourt. While Victor Wembanyama has been the team's starting center, the Spurs want to have options where they can potentially play Wemby next to other big guys, creating a virtually unguardable one-two punch outside of their vast backcourt talent.

Ayton is a traditional back-to-the-basket big man who has always been a strong rebounder. In 40 games last season with Portland, Ayton averaged 14.4 points and 10.2 rebounds per game while shooting 56.6 percent from the floor.

This type of center is exactly who the Spurs need to protect Wembanyama from minute overload. No matter what people say, Ayton has always been an efficient double-double-like big man through the years, and he would play a very comfortable role where he understands he doesn't need to overdo it next to cemented stars.

The Spurs will enter free agency with their full mid-level exception available. While this could be used to pursue Deandre Ayton, it's much more likely that San Antonio will consider some cheaper options , like Guerschon Yabusele and Luke Kornet .

3. New York Knicks

The New York Knicks have been mentioned as a possible suitor for Ayton in the past. Although they never truly pursued the former first-overall pick while he was with Portland, the Knicks did background work to gain a better understanding of what Ayton could potentially bring to the table.

Even though he seemed to fit in perfectly next to Jalen Brunson this past year, there have been questions about Karl-Anthony Towns ' long-term future with New York and whether he is just a short-term star for the team to contend with. Questions about Mitchell Robinson's future also exist since he is entering the final year of his contract and has an extensive injury history.

It would make a lot of sense for the Knicks to explore the idea of adding Ayton to their frontcourt since he's one of the better rebounders in the NBA. Not to mention, the Knicks are already an apron team with little room to actually add impactful talents in free agency.

Even though it is unknown what type of contract Ayton will be wanting after his buyout with the Trail Blazers, it is realistic to believe he would take a major discount to own a featured role for a contending franchise.

That would be the case here for Deandre Ayton and the Knicks, which is why a mutual level of interest may exist. Then again, there are two better spots for Ayton in the Western Conference.

2. Golden State Warriors

The Golden State Warriors have needed a center for quite some time. This problem has been masked by Stephen Curry 's greatness and Steve Kerr's unique playoff rotations, where Draymond Green and Kevon Looney have seen the bulk of minutes in the frontcourt.

Although the Warriors attempted to find their big man of the future several years ago when they drafted James Wiseman second overall, that did not work the way Golden State imagined. Once again, the Dubs enter the offseason with questions about their frontcourt, especially since Looney is a free agent and the team doesn't want to wear down Draymond at the center position throughout an 82-game season.

Despite not having the ability to step out on the perimeter and consistently knock down shots like Brook Lopez , a player the Warriors are known to have interest in entering free agency, Ayton could be the perfect big man for this Curry-led offense.

Aside from being a productive finisher around the rim who can be a low-post option for the team to play through at times, Ayton is one of the best centers when it comes to creating second-chance scoring opportunities off offensive rebounds. He ranked tied for 12th in the league with 3.1 offensive rebounds per game last season.

What makes Ayton an interesting fit for a team like Golden State is his screening and rolling abilities. The Warriors' offense features a lot of movement and cutting actions, especially for players involved in screens on the perimeter. Ayton is a big-bodied center who would create extra space for Curry and Jimmy Butler coming off screens, as well as be a mismatch at times when rolling to the rim against smaller defenders.

The Dubs have truly never had a big man like Deandre Ayton in the Curry era, which is why adding him to the mix would open up a whole new avenue for this offense to flow.

1. Los Angeles Lakers

It would not be all that surprising if Ayton already has his eyes set on the Los Angeles Lakers following the news of his buyout with Portland.

Every team around the league knows that the Lakers have been searching for a center since the trade deadline, which is why they have come up short in their pursuit of frontcourt talent. Very few impactful big men exist in free agency this offseason, which puts Ayton at the front of Los Angeles ' wish list.

As the Lakers push forward with Luka Doncic as the face of their franchise, regardless of what happens with LeBron James , they must bring in an impactful player who is comfortable running the two-man game with Doncic. Ayton can be that player given his efficiency and ability to play above the rim as a lob threat.

When he was with the Suns, Ayton's best year came when Chris Paul was getting him involved in these types of sets and finding him as a roller going toward the rim. Playing alongside Luka would be almost the same philosophy for Ayton, which is why he could truly find a lot of success in Los Angeles.

The Lakers need a center, and Deandre Ayton is the best option for them, with free agency beginning on Monday night.

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