The 2025-26 season came to an end for Devin Booker and the Phoenix Suns following a first-round sweep at the hands of the Oklahoma City Thunder. While many may perceive it as a disappointing finish to the season, considering their state at the start of the campaign, it can be argued that the Suns outdid themselves.
The Suns embraced a rebuild in last year’s offseason, leading the franchise to make drastic roster changes. When noting their playoff roster, Phoenix exceeded expectations. However, when looking to the future, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst made a keen observation about the Suns’ financial condition and how it would affect roster moves.
“There can’t really be massive changes. They don’t have a lot of assets, they don’t have their draft picks, and they signed Devin Booker to a contract that will approach $70 million,” Windhorst stated.
The Suns displayed a clear commitment to Devin Booker last season by offering him a two-year, $154 million extension, making him the highest-paid player in the NBA. Unfortunately, this has also limited Phoenix’s cap flexibility for the upcoming seasons.
While Booker has certainly proven himself as an elite NBA player, potentially among the best shooting guards in the league, Windhorst questioned whether this was the right move for the Suns.
“He has not been an All-Star player since signing that contract,” he noted. “So, frankly, even if they wanted to trade him, I don’t think they could get good value for him right now. So I think they’re probably lined up to try to improve the roster that they have.”
Although Phoenix’s display of faith in their superstar is promising from a humanistic perspective, this may not have been the wisest move for the franchise.
The Suns’ current roster situation is promising, primarily since their key players are locked in for the next season. However, given their need for reinforcements to remain competitive next season, as Windhorst mentioned, the circumstances aren’t in their favor.
Can Devin Booker Live Up To Expectations?
Devin Booker asserted himself as one of the league’s most exciting offensive players early in his career. Since cultivating a reputation as an elite scorer, Booker has evolved, expanding his repertoire and becoming a greater threat on offense.
While his development was gradual early on, the Suns’ superstar appears to have hit a wall. In 64 appearances this season, Booker averaged 26.1 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 6.0 assists per game while shooting 45.6% from the field and 33.0% from three-point range.
Contrary to Windhorst’s statement, Devin Booker earned himself an All-Star nod this season. However, when considering the deeper meaning behind the comment, the insider may have been onto something.
In the 2020-21 season, Booker emerged as a superstar, leading the Phoenix Suns to the NBA Finals. With averages of 27.3 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game in the playoffs, the Suns’ superstar looked nearly unstoppable.
In the following season, at just 25, Booker looked like one of the best players in the league. Apart from making an All-Star appearance and even earning an All-NBA First Team selection, Booker also finished fourth in MVP voting.
While his growth, at this stage, was immensely promising, it would appear that this version of Booker has disappeared. With drastic changes to the supporting cast at a crucial point in his career, the Suns may have inadvertently stunted his growth, causing him to take a step back.
Now, at 29, Devin Booker is in his prime and back to being the sole focus of the Suns’ offense. Although the evidence suggests that Booker possesses the tools to become the superstar Phoenix expects him to be, the Suns may not have the assets to surround him with the necessary supporting cast to bring out the best in him.
