NBA Rumors: Suns Won't Trade Deandre Ayton, Will Play with Kevin Durant, Booker, Beal

The Phoenix Suns might be done making blockbuster moves this offseason.

Bleacher Report's Chris Haynes reported Sunday that the team plans on keeping Deandre Ayton and playing him alongside Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal.

Haynes noted the Suns see the center's value "at an all-time high with the additions of Beal and Durant" and want to see how they all fit together on the court.

Ayton's long-term future with Phoenix has always seemed somewhat in the air since it didn't sign him to a long-term extension and allowed him to reach restricted free agency in the summer of 2022.

Yet the front office matched the four-year, $133 million offer sheet he signed with the Indiana Pacers last offseason.

Even with that contract, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski discussed potential trades during an appearance on The Ryen Russillo Podcast (h/t RealGM) earlier this month and said, "They've gone through the marketplace and I don't think there is an obvious deal for Deandre Ayton out there."

That lean market surely contributed to the decision to run things back with the big man, but Wojnarowski's comments also came before the acquisition of Beal.

Depth around the three stars is more important than ever now for the Suns, and losing the starting center would only create another question mark.

The 2023-24 season could also be something of a fresh start for Ayton considering Phoenix's head coach is now Frank Vogel. Ayton's relationship with former head coach Monty Willliams faced plenty of scrutiny after a playoff benching, but the team no longer has to worry about that dynamic.

Perhaps the University of Arizona product hasn't fully lived up to the expectations of being the No. 1 overall pick of the 2018 NBA draft—which also featured superstar Luka Dončić—but he is a double-double threat every time he steps on the floor and posted 18.0 points and 10.0 rebounds per game last season.

He also won't have as many responsibilities with so much talent around him during the upcoming season and will look to help the Suns chase their realistic championship goals.