ESPN reporter Woj reported that Suns restricted free agent Deandre Ayton will sign a four-year, 133 million maximum salary invitation contract with the Pacers. The Suns have two days to decide whether to use the priority match to keep Ayton. Woj said Ayton hasn't officially signe

ESPN reporter Woj reported that Sunsrestricted free agentDeAndre Aytonwill sign a four-year, 133 million maximum salary invitation contract with the Pacers. The Suns have two days to decide whether to use priority matching rights to keep Ayton .

Woj said Ayton hasn’t officially signed yet, but will do so today. The Suns still have time (before 12 noon Beijing time) to reach a sign-and-trade agreement. Once signed, the Suns will lose Ayton in vain if they don't match.

Ayton is the No. 1 pick in 2018. He is a restricted free agent. After signing invitation contracts with other teams, the Suns are eligible to choose to match. If there is no match, Ayton will join the Pacers.

If the Suns choose to keep Ayton, they cannot trade him before January 15 next year, nor can they trade Ayton to the Pacers within a year.

This is the largest invitation contract in the history of NBA. Otto Porter signed a four-year, 107 million contract with Nets in 2017. In the end, Wizards chose to match.

The Suns have never regarded Ayton as a maximum-salary player, so so far in the free market, they have never made an offer to Ayton.

Ayton will turn 24 next week. In the 2021-22 season, he averaged 17.2 points, 10.2 rebounds, and shot 63.4% from the field, helping the Suns get the best record in the league.

The Pacers have previously traded away two core players: Domantas Sabonis and Malcolm Brogdon .