It's exciting times ahead for the Phoenix Suns. This team performed beyond expectations during the bubble seeding games, and this is something that they intend to build on for next season. For both Suns big man Deandre Ayton and team general manager James Jones, it's all about the culture they're building down at Phoenix.

Ayton, who himself looked like a different man in Orlando, opened up about what he believes makes this group special:

“If you’re not all in completely, you will be pointed out,” Ayton said in an appearance in the Suns' Breakthough Live Stream series, via Brendon Kleen of Bright Side of the Sun. “Guys work on their game every day. We work hard, and we’re great guys off the court as well. We’re young and from different areas in the world, but for us to just compete and become one, it’s something that was really new from my career playing basketball.”

Jones seconded Ayton's sentiments, while also sending out a stern reminder/warning for his players:

“If you’re a high-character player and you’re highly competitive, that’s our culture,” Jones said. “If you’re not … you’ll walk away because you’ll realize this environment isn’t right for you.”

Phoenix is a young team that has been trying to make its mark in the NBA for the past couple of years. They did just that in the Disney World campus, and as it appears, they are slowly emerging as a legitimate threat in a ruthless Western Conference.