Suns Need Deandre Ayton Now More Than Ever

Phoenix Suns Deandre Ayton will have the chance to shine at the center position this season.

With the additions of Friday’s free agency pickup for the Phoenix Suns, C Deandre Ayton will be the clear cut starting center, barring any trade out of the blue. Ayton, 24 years old, will now have the 2023-24 season to take a new step in the right direction in his career for the Suns under new coaching, management, and frankly, a new team.

Four players came to the Suns in free agency to fill out the bench, all being over 6’8”. Depending on how new head coach Frank Vogel wants to prioritize height versus skill and speed, Ayton will have center duties all to himself by a respectable skill margin. While the C Drew Eubanks and Chimezie Metu pickups will help the Suns, the center position is no longer as deep as it once was for Ayton. His importance at the fifth position of the floor will be at an all time high.

After free agency, C Deandre Ayton will have the opportunity to lead the center position for the Suns

Ayton’s numbers continue to rise slightly throughout his career, his 18 points per game last year was his highest yet. Ayton is the clear cut favorite as the center in Phoenix and his time is now. With three additional star caliber players, Ayton will benefit from pressure perhaps taken off the shoulders of the still young centerman and be able to focus his game more.

Much discussion was made about Ayton being able to carry an offense with Devin Booker and Chris Paul, but now that there’s real threats other than Ayton on the offensive end, perhaps this will be Ayton’s most important stretch of his career and to focus his energy into rebounding and defense, two areas in which the big man gets the most flack.

Deandre Ayton since being drafted in 2018:

16.7 PPG
10.4 RPG
59.7 FG%

The highest FG% of any player averaging 15/10 over the last 5 seasons. pic.twitter.com/tjKVv8HEpC

— StatMuse (@statmuse) June 20, 2023

Eubanks and Metu are going to have their time to contribute to the Suns off the bench plenty, but the threat of another center coming in and having a significant impact the same way Ayton does while on the floor, is non-existent for the Suns. Ayton will be free to leave it all out on the floor, something that could just be the secret ingredient to a championship run in the Valley.