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The Phoenix Suns made a major move in the offseason by re-signing Deandre Ayton. By retaining their All-Star caliber big man, the Suns have managed to hold on to their core.
While Ayton is excited to be back on the roster, Marc J. Spears uncovered more on the 23-year-old in an exclusive interview.
After a long saga that saw several teams emerge as landing spots for the Suns big man, Ayton returns to Phoenix on a four-year, $133 million max extension. Needless to say, the Nassau native has been more than satisfied with the deal.
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In a conversation with ESPN's Marc J. Spears, Ayton expressed how he felt when Phoenix matched the Indiana Pacers' offer sheet. He said:
"This is a blessing, This contract not only has generational impact for my family, but also with the way we are able to work in the Phoenix community and home in the Bahamas. That is the things that we go by ...
"I've come to understand that this is a business. So, I was more anxious to know the end of the result so I could focus, move on, and just get back to work. I just treated everything like a business. Just keep being professional, approach everything with professionalism and not looking too deep into it."
Deandre Ayton has been a vital piece of the Phoenix Suns roster. As the ideal running mate for Chris Paul and Devin Booker, Ayton is the Suns' valuable inside presence.
The drama surrounding Ayton's extension stretched out over the course of the season. The 23-year old was due for a five-year deal worth $179.6 million with Phoenix before July 1. With the team holding out on him, concerns surrounding Ayton's future grew.
However, the Phoenix Suns have done a solid job of retaining a member of their young core. Coming off a rather disappointing playoff showing as well, the Suns center will have something to prove next season.
How valuable is Deandre Ayton to the Phoenix Suns?
Re-signing Ayton would have been the Suns' priority. Although they took a slightly different approach to the matter, the Phoenix Suns did a great job of retaining Ayton.
With their offseason dealings in mind, the Phoenix Suns faced a devastating shortage in their big man rotation. Having given up a key player in JaVale McGee and a rotation piece in Frank Kaminsky, Phoenix were shorthanded.
Deandre Ayton is a top-notch center with nigh All-Star potential. In this regard, re-signing him was a virtual no-brainer as mentioned by GM James Jones. When expressing how important the big man was to the process, Jones said:
"We wanted Deandre here. He's vital to what we do, at the core of everything that we do. And throughout this whole process it was, it rang true. We wanted to keep him here, and the moment we can come to an agreement, we would."
Given the nature of the "waiting game" Phoenix played, Ayton also considered other options. With Indiana emerging as a possibility, the 23-year old showed positive excitement about pairing up with Tyrese Haliburton, as per Adrian Wojnarowski.
While Deandre Ayton still shares his appreciation for Indiana and the way they pursued him, his goal of winning a championship with Phoenix remains a priority.
