{"id":136597,"date":"2025-06-30T12:45:24","date_gmt":"2025-06-30T12:45:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/136597\/"},"modified":"2025-06-30T12:45:24","modified_gmt":"2025-06-30T12:45:24","slug":"deandre-ayton-reportedly-finalizing-buyout-with-trail-blazers-will-become-a-free-agent-if-he-clears-waivers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/136597\/","title":{"rendered":"Deandre Ayton reportedly finalizing buyout with Trail Blazers, will become a free agent if he clears waivers"},"content":{"rendered":"

Portland center Deandre Ayton is finalizing a buyout with the Trail Blazers, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Sunday<\/a>.<\/p>\n

He’ll become a free agent on Wednesday if he clears waivers, according to multiple reports<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Ayton is due $35.5 million next season on the final year of a four-year, $133 million contract he signed with the Phoenix Suns. Terms of his buyout were not initially reported.<\/p>\n

The Trail Blazers have second-year center Donovan Clingan and Robert Williams III under contract and used the 16th pick of last week’s draft to acquire 7-foot-1 Chinese center Yang Hansen.<\/p>\n

If Ayton is bought out and clears waivers, he’ll become one of the top free agents in a class lacking marquee names<\/a>. Teams are permitted to start negotiating with pending free agents beginning Monday.<\/p>\n

\"Deandre<\/p>\n

Deandre Ayton appears to be on his way out of Portland. (Photo by Steph Chambers\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n

(Steph Chambers via Getty Images)<\/p>\n

Ayton, 26, was the No. 1 overall pick of the 2018 draft class that also featured Luka Don\u010di\u0107, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Trae Young. Unlike some of his draft-class counterparts, Ayton has not lived up to the hype.<\/p>\n

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A traditional center who doesn’t shoot 3s or stretch the floor, Ayton has failed to make an All-Star team in his seven seasons since joining the NBA. But he does provide a valuable post presence and rebounding prowess that will be attractive to teams seeking help at center in the free agent market.<\/p>\n

For his career, Ayton’s averaged 16.4 points, 10.5 rebounds and 1 block per game while shooting 59% from the floor. He’s shot 23% on 122 career 3-point attempts in 398 games.<\/p>\n

There are several teams in search of help in the post, most notably the Los Angeles Lakers, whose lack of defensive presence near the rim was exposed in a one-sided, first-round playoff loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. A Charlotte Hornets team that recently traded Mark Williams and Jusuf Nurkic could also be in the market for a center.<\/p>\n