With their center position currently uncertain heading into the offseason, the Golden State Warriors may have just been gifted the perfect solution after a shock move on the eve of free agency.
According to ESPN's Shams Charania, the Portland Trail Blazers are finalizing a buyout with former No. 1 overall pick Deandre Ayton, and in so doing have shaken up the free agency lanscape less than 24 hours before it officially begins.
The Warriors should absolutely be targeting Deandre Ayton
Portland's decision to draft 7'2" Chinese sensation Yang Hansen with the 16th overall pick on Wednesday night raised a lot of eyebrows, particularly after selecting big man Donovan Clingan seventh overall last year.
It was always going to raise speculation over the future of veterans like Ayton and Robert Williams III, but few would have expected a buyout forthcoming given the former Phoenix Suns center was still scheduled to make $35.5 million on the final year of his contract.
Not only will Ayton get all or at least most of that money, he'll now get the opportunity to pick his own team as a free agent where the Warriors should be all over the chase for the seven-footer.
Sudden addition to the free-agent market. This gives Ayton, a former No. 1 overall pick who went to the NBA Finals with the Suns, the chance to receive a fresh opportunity as the Trail Blazers build around their depth of young centers. https://t.co/JlaQzrnI0N
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2025
Golden State have spoken about their desire not to start Draymond Green as a small-ball five entering next season, but running with the current alternative of Quinten Post is incredibly risky given his defensive issues and overall inexperience.
Ayton should leapfrog to the top of the Warriors' big man wish-list, easily surpassing potential veteran options like Brook Lopez and Al Horford. Ayton undoubtedly has his detractors and has even regressed in recent years, but most of that criticism was in line with the four-year, $132.9 million contract he was on.
If Ayton can now be acquired for $10-15 million or less, he could easily become one of the most valuable free agent signings in the league. The Bahamian national averaged 14.4 points, 10.2 rebounds and 1.0 block per game last season, shooting 56.6% from the floor in his 40 games with the Trail Blazers.
He was the starting center on a Suns team that reached the Finals in 2021, having averaged 15.8 points and 11.8 rebounds on 65.8% shooting from the floor during that playoff run.
While Ayton doesn't necessarily space the floor all the way to the perimeter, he's a willing mid-range shooter who also finishes around the basket at a far better level than Post or fellow youngster Trayce Jackson-Davis.
It's a huge opportunity for the Warriors, but there's likely to be no shortage of suitors for Ayton with the pacific rival Los Angeles Lakers also standing out as a potential destination for the former Arizona product.