The Phoenix Suns shocked the basketball world on Thursday when they decided to match the Indiana Pacers' $133 million offer sheet for prized big man Deandre Ayton. There were more than a few signs that were pointing towards Ayton's looming exit, but in a surprising plot twist, Phoenix decided that they wanted to keep their man.

Ayton's new deal burns a big hole in the Suns' pocket. So much so, that Phoenix has actually made its way to the record books by matching Indiana's offer for the 23-year-old center (h/t ESPN Stats & Info):

If the Suns match Ayton's offer with the Pacers it will be the largest matched contract in NBA history. Surpassing the 4-year/$106.5M deal given to Otto Porter in 2017 by the Wizards.

The Suns just shattered the record — previously held by the Washington Wizards on their Otto Porter extension — by quite a margin. This is a clear indication of just how valuable Ayton is right now, as well as how much the Suns wanted to get him back.

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Phoenix will now run it back with the same core next season, following what was an ultimately disappointing 2021-22 campaign. The Suns did finish the regular season with the best record in the NBA, but they ended up getting ousted in the second round of the playoffs courtesy of Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks.

Be that as it may, the Suns front office is showing a lot of fate in its Devin Booker-Chris Paul-Deandre Ayton core. Whether or not this is the right decision, however, remains to be seen.