Valley of the Suns
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Grade the trade: Suns finally move Ayton for… Nurkic?

By Luke Duffy

PORTLAND, OREGON - DECEMBER 14: Damian Lillard #0 of the Portland Trail Blazers shoots while defended by Deandre Ayton #22 of the Phoenix Suns during the first half at Moda Center on December 14, 2021 in Portland, Oregon. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
PORTLAND, OREGON - DECEMBER 14: Damian Lillard #0 of the Portland Trail Blazers shoots while defended by Deandre Ayton #22 of the Phoenix Suns during the first half at Moda Center on December 14, 2021 in Portland, Oregon. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images) /
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MINNEAPOLIS, MN – JANUARY 04: Jusuf Nurkic of the Portland Trail Blazers. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – JANUARY 04: Jusuf Nurkic of the Portland Trail Blazers. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images) /

In a move that seemingly came out of nowhere – but in reality has been a long time coming – the Phoenix Suns finally moved on from the Deandre Ayton era on Wednesday. The first overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft being moved as part of the deal that sent Damian Lillard to the Milwaukee Bucks.

Despite Jrue Holiday, the second best player in this trade, moving on as well, the Suns somehow didn’t end up acquiring him. As we explored ourselves earlier this week, Holiday would have made a lot of sense with this Suns roster, even if they would have lacked a starting center.

Instead they now find themselves with a collection of players headlined by Portland Trail Blazers big man, Jusuf Nurkic.

Grayson Allen of the Bucks has also landed in The Valley, but this deal is all about getting rid of Ayton. Despite giving glimpses of his true potential in the run to the NBA Finals in 2021, the reality is he has not looked engaged with this group ever since then.

It would have been nice to see if new head coach Frank Vogel could have gotten through to him, having worked wonders with traditional big man Roy Hibbert in the past, but now we’ll never get the chance to see that happen. Instead the Suns’ front office has taken a massive swing at a crucial point in their quest for a first championship.

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