11 Wildcard trade candidates ahead of the deadline
By Cal Durrett
NBA Trade Candidate: DeAndre Ayton
It’s fair to say that Ayton is one of the most polarizing players in the NBA, with even fans of the Phoenix Suns as well as his head coach seemingly indifferent to him at best. With the Suns struggling, albeit mainly due to injuries, they are already scouring the trade market, and Ayton could be a wildcard to be moved if the right deal came around.
Both the Toronto Raptors and Indiana Pacers have been linked to Ayton, and it’s possible that they make a play for him. The Pacers actually signed Ayton to an offer sheet last summer only for the Suns to match, and they could decide to trade for him. The Pacers could swap Myles Turner for Ayton in a straight-up trade.
In theory, that trade could benefit both teams, but the Raptors or another team could throw a wrench into those plans. Additionally, the Suns may prefer to pair Turner with Ayton rather than swap one for another, but we’ll have to wait and see how the situation plays out.