NBA offseason winners and losers: Deandre Ayton is rich; James Harden discount caps strong Sixers summer

Deandre Ayton, a restricted free agent, agreed to a $133 million max offer sheet with the Indiana Pacers on Thursday. The Suns had 48 hours to match, and have reportedly done so, per Adrian Wojnarowski. It’s the last big free-agent domino to fall. Trade talks now dominate the waves. 

Where will Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and Donovan Mitchell end up? We still have some incomplete grades pending further moves, For now, taking into account the draft, trades and free-agent signings, here is my list of 2022 offseason winners and losers. This post will continue to update.

Winner: Deandre Ayton

Ayton agreed to a four-year, $133 million max offer sheet from the Indiana Pacers on Thursday. Ayton is a restricted free agent, so the Suns had 48 hours to match the offer, which they reportedly did, per Adrian Wojnarowski. Ayton will be starting the 2022-23 season with the Suns, who simply couldn’t afford to lose Ayton for nothing. 

I say starting the season because the Suns could opt to trade Ayton as soon as they’re legally allowed, which would be Jan. 15. That is a real possibility, but it’s muddy. Remember, Phoenix is trying to balance a potential offer for Kevin Durant. Ayton becomes a trade chip in a multi-team deal or perhaps straight-up with Brooklyn, but the former feels more likely. 

But none of this is Ayton’s problem. He is now generationally wealthy, wherever he ends up long-term. 

After finishing two wins from an NBA championship, the Celtics went out and landed Danilo Gallinari, who cleared waivers after being let go by San Antonio, and Malcolm Brogdon in a trade with the Pacers, who took back Daniel Theis, Aaron Nesmith, Nik Stauskas, Malik Fitts, Juwan Morgan and a…