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The Phoenix Suns recently made another blockbuster trade in the new Mat Ishbia era of the franchise, with the team acquiring veteran guard Bradley Beal in a deal with the Washington Wizards.
The blockbuster deal took everyone by surprise for a couple of reasons, as it seemed like Beal was headed to the Miami Heat and that Deandre Ayton could be included in a deal.
Over the past couple of years, Ayton hasn’t exactly fit in with what Phoenix has been trying to do and, as a result, has been noticeably unhappy and constantly in trade rumors.
Ayton not being in this deal for Beal was shocking, but some believed it might be because the Suns had another deal lined up to address the bench using the center as a trade chip.
However, that may not be the case, with John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports reporting that Phoenix is unlikely to trade the former No. 1 pick via NBA Central.
The Suns are unlikely to trade Deandre Ayton, per @Gambo987 pic.twitter.com/MfuXvrgVu8
— NBACentral (@TheNBACentral) June 23, 2023
One reason for the Suns’ reluctance to trade Ayton moving forward might be attributed to new head coach Frank Vogel wanting to work with the young center, considering his success with big men in the league.
Vogel expressed a desire to work with Ayton and find a way to unlock him to get him to realize his true potential in the NBA.
Although Vogel’s intentions are admirable, as he’s obviously trying to salvage Ayton’s career, the Suns have a lot of areas to address and may need to trade Ayton to bring in multiple players to get more depth on the roster.
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