Portland Trail Blazers Wiretap

The Portland Trail Blazers had publicly lauded center Deandre Ayton's work with rookie center Donovan Clingan last season. Behind the scenes, the Blazers had tired of Ayton's bad habits.

Ayton was reportedly late to practices and flights, and would skip rehab appointments, throughout his tenure in Portland. The Blazers also didn't like Ayton's attitude when he was removed from games, especially when the veteran center wasn't showing the proper amount of effort.

In part, not wanting to deal with Ayton being around young centers Clingan and 2025 draftee Yang Hansen, Portland was open to working a buyout. In the end, the Trail Blazers opened a roster spot, saved a reported $10 million, and cleared out center minutes for the young duo.

Deandre Ayton gave back $10 million of his $35.6 million 2025-26 salary with the Portland Trail Blazers as part of his buyout agreement with the team. Ayton figures to command at least that much on the open market.

Ayton was entering the final season of a four-year, $133 million contract he signed with the Indiana Pacers during the 2022 offseason that the Phoenix Suns subsequently matched. The Suns traded Ayton to the Blazers during the 2023 offseason. 

Last season, Ayton averaged 14.4 points, 10.2 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 30.1 minutes across 40 games with the Blazers. 

Ayton has been linked with the Los Angeles Lakers, who have their $14 million non-taxpayer midlevel exception available this offseason if they don't re-sign Dorian Finney-Smith.

Deandre Ayton and the Portland Trail Blazers have agreed to a buyout agreement and will become an unrestricted free agent. The Blazers acquired Ayton from the Phoenix Suns as part of the multi-team Damian Lillard trade in 2023.

Ayton was entering the final season of a four-year, $133 million contract he signed with the Indiana Pacers during the 2022 offseason that the Suns subsequently matched. Ayton had $35.6 million remaining on his contract. Shams Charania described it as "a sudden, surprising" development to have Ayton join the free agency class.

Last season, Ayton averaged 14.4 points, 10.2 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 30.1 minutes across 40 games with the Blazers. The Blazers have a crowded depth chart at center with Donovan Clingan, Robert Williams and Yang Hansen. 

Ayton, who is represented by Bill Duffy and Nima Namakian, will undoubtedly be linked with the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers are searching for an upgrade at center and Ayton shares the same agent as Luka Doncic in Duffy. The Lakers could use the full non-taxpayer midlevel exception to sign Ayton following the decision by Dorian Finney-Smith to not exercise his player option. 

The Portland Trail Blazers have exercised their team option for guard Rayan Rupert. Portland will now have Rupert on the books at $2.2 million for next season, assuming they fully guaranteed his contract by the July 1 deadline.

Rupert played in 52 games for the Blazers last season. The 6-foot-6 guard averaged 3.0 points and 1.3 rebounds in 8.8 minutes per game. Portland drafted the now 21-year-old Rupert out France in the second round of the 2023 NBA Draft.

The Portland Trail Blazers and forward/center Andrew Carr have agreed to an Exhibit 10 contract. Carr will sign a non-guaranteed camp deal with a chance to compete for roster spot in Portland.

Carr finished his NCAA career at Kentucky, after previously playing for Delaware and Wake Forest. The 6-foot-11 big man averaged 10.3 points and 4.7 rebounds as a senior.

Sean Pedulla has agreed to an Exhibit 10 contract with the Portland Trail Blazers after going undrafted out of Ole Miss.

Represented by George Langberg of GSL Sports Group, Pedulla averaged 15.4 points and 3.8 assists last season. 

Caleb Love has agreed to sign a Two-Way contract with the Portland Trail Blazers. Love went undrafted out of Arizona.

Love spent three seasons at North Carolina and two at Arizona. Last season, Love averaged 17.2 points, 4.4 rebounds and 3.4 assists for the Wildcats.

Love is represented by Torrian Jones and Mark Bartelstein.

The Phoenix Suns acquired the No. 31 overall pick and selected Rasheer Fleming out of Saint Joseph's to begin the second round of the 2025 NBA draft.

2025 NBA Draft, Round 1 Results
31. Phoenix Suns: Rasheer Fleming, F, Saint Joseph's
32. Orlando Magic: Noah Penda, F, France
33. Charlotte Hornets: Sion James, SF, Duke
34. Charlotte Hornets: Ryan Kalkbrenner, C, Creighton
35. Philadelphia 76ers: Johni Broome, C, Auburn
36. Los Angeles Lakers: Adou Thiero, PF, Arkansas
37. Detroit Pistons: Chaz Lanier, SG, Tennessee
38. Indiana Pacers: Kam Jones, PG/SG, Marquette
39. Toronto Raptors: Alijah Martin, SG, Florida
40. New Orleans Pelicans: Micah Peavy, SG/SF, Georgetown
41. Phoenix Suns: Koby Brea, SG/SF, Kentucky
42. Sacramento Kings: Maxime Raynaud, C, Stanford
43. Washington Wizards: Jamir Watkins, SG/SF, Florida State
44. Oklahoma City Thunder: Brooks Barnhizer, SF, Northwestern
45. Minnesota Timberwolves: Rocco Zikarsky, C, Brisbane
46. Boston Celtics: Amari Williams, C, Kentucky
47. Milwaukee Bucks: Bogoljub Markovic, PF/C, Mega Superbet 
48. Memphis Grizzlies: Javon Small, PG, West Virginia
49. Cleveland Cavaliers: Tyrese Proctor, G, Duke
50. LA Clippers: Kobe Sanders, SG/SF, Nevada
51. New York Knicks: Mohamed Diawara, F, France
52. Golden State Warriors: Alex Toohey, SF/PF, Sydney
53. Utah Jazz: John Tonje, SF, Wisconsin
54. Indiana Pacers: Taelon Peter, G, Liberty
55. Chicago Bulls: Lachlan Olbrich, PF/C, Illawarra
56. Golden State Warriors: Will Richard, SG, Florida
57. Boston Celtics: Max Shulga, G, VCU
58. Cleveland Cavaliers: Saliou Niang, SG/SF, Trento 
59. Houston Rockets: Jahmai Mashack, G, Tennessee

The Memphis Grizzlies traded up to No. 11 with the Portland Trail Blazers to select Cedric Coward. Memphis is sending the No. 16 pick along with a 2028 first rounder via the Orlando Magic, and two second rounders to the Blazers.

Coward had a meteoric rise up draft boards as a high upside wing who had injury issues this past season at Washington State. Coward began his collegiate career at Willamette before transferring to Eastern Washington for two seasons.

The Blazers used the No. 16 pick to select Yang Hansen out of China. Yang was expected to be an early second round draft pick.

The Dallas Mavericks have opened up the 2025 NBA draft by selecting Cooper Flagg out of Duke with the first overall pick. Flagg will wear No. 32 for the Mavericks after wearing No. 2 at Duke The Mavericks won the lottery with just a 1.8 percent change, which is the fourth lowest in NBA history.

The San Antonio Spurs selected Dylan Harper out of Rutgers with the No. 2 pick. San Antonio has the two most recent Rookies of the Year in Victor Wembanyama and Stephon Castle.

The Philadelphia 76ers then selected V.J. Edgecombe out of Baylor at No. 3 followed by Kon Knueppel to the Charlotte Hornets at No. 4.

The first real surprise of the draft came when the Utah Jazz selected Ace Bailey. Bailey had an unorthodox lead up to the draft in which he didn't work out for any teams. Bailey had hoped to be selected by the Washington Wizards, New Orleans Pelicans or Brooklyn Nets.

2025 NBA Draft, Round 1 Results
1. Dallas Mavericks: Cooper Flagg, SF/PF, Duke
2. San Antonio Spurs: Dylan Harper, PG, Rutgers
3. Philadelphia 76ers: V.J. Edgecombe, SG, Baylor
4. Charlotte Hornets: Kon Knueppel, SF, Duke
5. Utah Jazz: Ace Bailey, SF, Rutgers
6. Washington Wizards: Tre Johnson, SG, Texas
7. New Orleans Pelicans: Jeremiah Fears, PG, Oklahoma
8. Brooklyn Nets: Egor Demin, PG, BYU
9. Toronto Raptors: Collin Murray-Boyles, PF/C, South Carolina
10. Phoenix Suns (via PHX/BKN/HOU): Khaman Maluach, C, Duke
11. Memphis Grizzlies (via POR): Cedric Coward, SF, Washington State
12. Chicago Bulls: Noa Essengue, PF, Ratiopharm Ulm
13. New Orleans Pelicans (via SAC/ATL): Derik Queen, C, Maryland
14. San Antonio Spurs: (via ATL): Carter Bryant, SF, Arizona
15. Oklahoma City Thunder (via MIA/LAC): Thomas Sorber, C, Georgetown
16. Portland Trail Blazers (via ORL/MEM): Yang Hansen, C, China
17. Minnesota Timberwolves (via DET/NYK): Joan Beringer, C, Cedevita Olimpija
18. Utah Jazz (via MEM/WAS): Walter Clayton Jr., PG, Florida
19. Brooklyn Nets (via MIL/NYK): Nolan Traore, PG, Saint-Quentin
20. Miami Heat (via GSW): Kasparas Jakucionis, PG, Illinois
21. Washington Wizards (via MIN/UTA): Will Riley, SF, Illinois
22. Brooklyn Nets (via LAL/NOP/ATL): Drake Powell, SG/SF, North Carolina
23. Atlanta Hawks (via IND/NOP): Asa Newell, PF/C, Georgia
24. Sacramento Kings (via LAC/OKC): Nique Clifford, SG, Colorado State
25. Orlando Magic (via DEN): Jase Richardson, PG/SG, Michigan State
26. Brooklyn Nets (via NYK): Ben Saraf, PG/SG, Ratiopharm Ulm
27. Brooklyn Nets (via HOU): Danny Wolf, PF, Michigan
28. Boston Celtics: Hugo Gonzalez, SG/SF, Real Madrid
29. Charlotte Hornets (via CLE/UTA/PHX): Liam McNeeley, SG/SF, UConn
30. LA Clippers (via OKC): Yanic Konan Niederhauser, C, Penn State