The Detroit Pistons were linked to a potential pursuit of Deandre Ayton this offseason, but the availability of Jalen Duren at the draft is believed to have led them to change direction.
“The Ayton thing, I think they were going to be the Ayton offer sheet team until Jalen Duren fell to them at 13,” said Zach Lowe. “Which I don’t think they expected to be in play for them at that level. I mean I know they didn’t. And once that happened, I think they said ‘Okay, we’re just going to roll with what we got. We’re not going to clutter our center rotation.’
“Absent that, if they don’t get Duren, I think they would have been the Ayton offer sheet team. I would have loved that move for them.”
Ayton lingered in his restricted free agency before signing a four-year, $133 million offer sheet with the Indiana Pacers that was swiftly matched by the Phoenix Suns.