Charles Barkley didn’t mince words when reacting to Devin Booker’s new contract extension. The Phoenix Suns guard recently inked a two-year, $154 million extension that will kick in starting 2028, bringing his average annual salary to a staggering $72.5 million.
For Barkley, who played in a far less lucrative NBA era, that figure is as jaw-dropping as it is absurd. Speaking on The Dan Patrick Show, the Hall of Famer called Booker “the luckiest dude in the world,” emphasizing the simplicity of what he’s being paid to do: “dribble a stupid basketball.”
“He should be the happiest person. He should just go around shaking people’s hands… Well, he gonna be happy twice a month, the 1st and the 15th. The 1st and the 15th, he gonna be real damn happy.”
“You know, God bless these guys for how much money they make. I made more money than Dr. J and Bill Russell, and those guys. But these guys should always be in a good mood.”
“Think about it, Devin Booker, who’s a hell of a player, going to make $70M a year to dribble a stupid basketball. Why shouldn’t he be in a good mood? He’s the luckiest dude in the world.”
Barkley has long been outspoken about the money in today’s NBA. He often jokes, half in awe and half in disbelief, about how much players earn now compared to his era.
During his 16-year career, Barkley made a little over $40.6 million in salary, a sum that rotational players in today’s league now eclipse in just a couple of seasons. So when someone like Booker signs a deal that pays him nearly double that total per year, Barkley understandably shakes his head and leans into his trademark blend of humor and bluntness.
Booker’s extension ties him to Phoenix through the 2029–30 season. Despite the Suns’ recent struggles, including a disastrous 2024–25 campaign that saw them miss even the Play-In Tournament, Booker has remained loyal.
After failed attempts to build a superteam with Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal, the Suns are retooling again. Booker will now be tasked with anchoring a younger core, including new arrival Jalen Green in the Kevin Durant trade.
Booker has mostly kept a low profile in this regard, but even he has felt the weight of expectation, especially after Phoenix’s Finals appearance in 2021 and the 70-point game that made him a household name.
There’s also basketball pressure. Booker is still on his current deal and won’t touch his new extension money until 2028. Until then, he’s making around $55 million annually, still elite, but not quite the “stupid basketball” money Barkley was talking about.
And if Booker doesn’t perform, that salary could become a target for criticism, especially given how previous superteam efforts in Phoenix flamed out.
In the end, Barkley’s comments reflect both envy and admiration. Devin Booker is earning money at a level that seems surreal to past generations.
But it comes with the pressure of being a franchise cornerstone, carrying expectations, and now mentoring a new wave of talent. Lucky? Sure. But it’s a different kind of lucky, one that still requires results.
