Deandre Ayton is off to a solid start this season, averaging 15.5 points and 7.5 rebounds per game for the 8-4 Lakers. He's having arguably his most successful season since 2022, and it's the result of playing with excellent playmakers and good coaching. The Suns had similar success with Ayton once upon a time, but were not able to maximize his impact and finally shipped him out in 2023.
Ayton can succeed in a very specific role.
As a center with limited abilities, Ayton needs quality playmakers to set him up. His best performances on the Suns came when Chris Paul was feeding him easy baskets.