Before 2018, the Phoenix Suns had never had the first overall pick.
Before Deandre Ayton, the Phoenix Suns had never had a franchise center.
And before 2019, the Phoenix Suns had never had a franchise center who could shoot the 3.
Sure, Channing Frye played center and he shot – and made – a ton of 3-pointers in his career with the Suns, so it’s not like franchise has never had a stretch-five before.
But Frye wasn’t a franchise player. He was pretty good for a couple of years, but he was never going to be built around the way Phoenix is building around Ayton.