The Indiana Pacers are reportedly showing interest in former Portland Trail Blazers center Deandre Ayton. The Blazers and Ayton agreed to a buyout earlier this week, with Ayton taking a $10 million discount on the $35.5 million salary he was owed in 2025-26 to leave the Blazers a year early. The Pacers, meanwhile, saw long-time center Myles Turner defect to the Milwaukee Bucks, leaving a vacancy in the middle.
In his latest substack [subscription required], NBA writer Marc Stein adds details:
Sources say the Pacers have, however, registered interest in Ayton.