Deandre Ayton is finalizing a contract buyout with the Portland Trail Blazers to become a free agent, according to ESPN's Shams Charania.

The first overall pick of the 2018 Draft, Ayton has averaged over 10 rebounds per game in each of his seven seasons in the league. He played a key role with his first team, the Phoenix Suns, reaching the NBA Finals in 2021 where they lost to the eventual-champion Milwaukee Bucks in six games.

The Portland Trail Blazers have agreed to buy out the final year of center Deandre Ayton’s contract, making him a free agent, an NBA source has confirmed to the Oregonian/OregonLive. ESPN’s Shams Charania first reported the news Sunday night.