Deandre Ayton is one of the top centers in the league. He is a two-way player, capable of protecting the rim using his athleticism, while also having an elite interior game on the offensive end. During the 2021-22 regular season, Deandre Ayton averaged 17.2 PPG, 10.2 RPG, and 1.4 APG.
Despite his individual talent, there is a chance that the Phoenix Suns will end up letting Deandre Ayton leave in free agency. A franchise that Ayton has often been linked to is the Detroit Pistons, which were recently named as one of the most realistic landing spots for him.
Ayton’s most realistic landing spots outside of Phoenix appear to be Atlanta, Detroit and Toronto, which all would present intriguing sign-and-trade opportunities for the Suns.
A recent report by NBA insider Marc Stein suggested that Deandre Ayton would “embrace” being part of “a new dynamic duo” with Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham.
Deandre Ayton would reportedly embrace forming a new dynamic duo with Cade Cunningham on the Pistons, per @TheSteinLine.
— Evan Sidery (@esidery) June 23, 2022
Deandre Ayton would reportedly embrace forming a new dynamic duo with Cade Cunningham on the Pistons, per Marc Stein
There is no doubt that Deandre Ayton and Cade Cunningham could potentially be one of the best duos in the league a few years from now. Both are still young and could develop into true star-level players in the future, and it is easy to see why Deandre Ayton is intrigued with the possibility of joining the Detroit Pistons from a basketball perspective.
Obviously, there are other franchises that are realistic options for Deandre Ayton to join if he wants a bigger role than he has had with the Phoenix Suns. But the Detroit Pistons would definitely be among the best options, and they could also offer Ayton a lucrative contract. It remains to be seen how Deandre Ayton’s free agency will unfold, but if he does join the Pistons, it wouldn’t be surprising whatsoever.
