Deandre Ayton and the Phoenix Suns had a very slow start to the season. Out of their first 28 contests, they only won four games. They looked to be the worst team in the entire league. But suddenly in the month of December, things seemed to switch. They've won five out of their last seven.

It seems like trading away veteran rental Trevor Ariza for Kelly Oubre has inspired both budding superstar Devin Booker and rookie DeAndre Ayton. The culture seems to have become positive. The team plays with more confidence in their ability. They're taking it seriously.

Ayton told Alex Kennedy of Hoops Hype:

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“Losing is personal. It hurts. The media we have today, the way they treat our organization, we just really try to block them out. It is us against the world. [When we think like that], it is more of an edge and we play more as a unit. We use that negative energy people are throwing at us against them… Our arena will be lit for the rest of the season because we’re not trying to stop [winning] anytime soon. We are on the rise.”

Ayton so far this season has been a sure-fire rookie of the year candidate. For the Suns, he's averaged 16.3 points, 10.9 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game while shooting 59.9 percent from the field. His pick-and-roll game with Booker is some of the best two-man offenses in the entire NBA.

The Suns are 9-26 on the season and are 15th in the NBA's Western Conference. They will play the Oklahoma City Thunder next at home this upcoming Friday.