Deandre Ayton 'Pivotal' to Suns, NBA Finals Hopes

New Phoenix Suns guard Bradley Beal praised Deandre Ayton during his opening press conference.

PHOENIX -- Bradley Beal is officially a member of the Phoenix Suns, though the former Washington Wizards guard was just one of many topics discussed during the near 30-minute press conference held at the Footprint Center to introduce Beal to local media. 

Beal - joined by Suns general manager James Jones and head coach Frank Vogel on the stage - discussed life in Phoenix, his time in Washington and his new teammates in Devin Booker/Kevin Durant. 

Suns center Deandre Ayton was also discussed - a player who has found himself in a flurry of trade speculation for the last few seasons. Last week, multiple insiders reported Phoenix intended on keeping their big man despite gauging interest on the trade market. 

"He's one of the best two-way centers in the game. Obviously he's going to be a defensive anchor for us. I have long utilized his skill set in my defensive scheme to build a dominant defense," Vogel said. "And I think he can do that. I think there's a lot that we can untap offensively with him as well. So he's a pivotal part of what we're going to accomplish this year."

Vogel has praised Ayton whenever presented with the opportunity, as even during Vogel's introductory press conference he spoke highly of the polarizing center. 

His new teammate in Beal believes Ayton will play a large role in Phoenix's success next year.

"I'm excited about it. I haven't had a chance to play with this type of talent level, ever. So it's gonna be new for me. It's gonna be a lot. It's gonna be challenging. I'm accepting the challenge in front of me. I'm accepting the work. I'm excited about it," Beal said. 

"I think DA could be a huge piece to our team. It's tough because we're on the outside looking in always, but I see his value. I think he's a really talented big - one of the best bigs in the league, and a willing defender. I think that's a lost art in our game, too. I think his impact is going to be huge this year for us."