It wasn’t that long ago that Devin Booker was in the NBA Finals. Now, at 10th in the West, the Suns are struggling and Book admits the frustration is extreme.
“Very frustrating,” Booker told Melissa Rohlin of FOX Sports. “We celebrated the Western Conference finals right here. I was standing in the same spot.”
On paper, the Suns have arguably one of the best rosters in the league with Kevin Durant, Bradley Beal, and Devin Booker. Yet, despite a historically high payroll, they are barely managing to stay within play-in range in the West.
“Talent only gets you so far,” Booker said. “I’ve been on teams with less talent that found ways to get more wins. It’s just the little things. What people always say, the details of the game. Although it sounds like we should know that at this part of our careers, it’s just something you need to form and develop and learn through trial and error.”
The Phoenix Suns had big ambitions this season before everything went wrong. After buying the team, owner Mat Ishbia gave up everything to assemble a new big three with a worthy supporting cast.
They traded their picks and young players to go all-in on the title pursuit, believing they could buy their way to a championship. After going 8-1 in their first nine games, it looked like the Suns had finally discovered a winning formula.
Unfortunately, the success didn’t last, and as the season progressed, the Suns gradually lost more and more ground in the standings. Lacking chemistry and cohesion, the players are disconnected and struggle to play to each other’s strengths.
They also lack depth, which puts added pressure on the stars to carry the offense and limit their mistakes. Any injury to Durant, Booker, or Beal is a major blow to the Suns and they’ve been battling injuries all season long.
The biggest problem for Phoenix may be on the defensive end. The Suns rank 27th this season, on par with some of the worst teams in the NBA. They lack the size, effort, and attention to detail on defense and it’s made it nearly impossible for them to keep up with the elite contenders.
Booker, 28, is undoubtedly one of the best young guards in the game and he’s been doing everything he can to pull the Suns out of the gutter. With averages of 25.9 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 7.0 assists per game on 45.8% shooting, he’s been the only bright spot for the Suns this year.
Now, after a failed season, the Suns are on the verge of collapse and serious changes will be coming. Besides the departure of Durant, the Suns could also lose other key rotation players like Bradley Beal, Nick Richards, and Ryan Dunn.
With perhaps the best roster on paper, the Suns are living proof that talent isn’t everything in the NBA. To win at the highest level requires patience, effort, and perfect execution on both ends of the floor.
It may be too late for this season but Booker will be sticking around and he plans to see this through to the end, for better or worse.
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