NBA Rumors: Devin Booker Leaving Phoenix Suns If Team Doesn’t Improve, According To ‘Sir Charles In Charge’
Phoenix Suns shooting guard Devin Booker is one of the young NBA players who is taking the right path to stardom. Unfortunately, despite his strong performance every night, the Suns still struggle to win games and are currently one of the worst teams in the league. Will Booker consider leaving Phoenix to join a legitimate contender?
It’s been a long time since the Suns entered the playoffs. The last time they played in the postseason was in 2009-2010 NBA season when they still have Steve Nash and Amar’e Stoudemire on their roster. Since then, the Suns have never been competitive, and as of now, they are expected to be one of the lottery teams when the 2017-18 NBA season ends.
In an interview with the Arizona Republic, Suns general manager Ryan McDonough denied that the Suns are tanking. However, given how they perform every night, it’s crystal clear that Phoenix is looking to obtain another lottery pick. The Suns have acquired young and talented players in the previous drafts, including Devin Booker, Dragan Bender, and Josh Jackson.
Of the three, Booker, the 13th overall pick in the 2015 NBA draft, is the Suns’ best acquisition. In his third season, he’s already averaging 25.1 points and 4.8 assists on 43.3 percent shooting from the field and 38.4 percent from beyond the arc. As of now, there is no doubt that Booker deserves to be called the face of the Suns’ franchise.
Unfortunately, with how their roster is constructed, it seems like it will take a long time before the Suns become a winning team again. Playing on a team that can’t even earn a playoff spot will make rising superstars like Devin Booker frustrated. If things don’t change in Phoenix in the next couple of years, Bronson Hope of Sir Charles In Charge predicts Booker will leave the Suns.
“Devin Booker is set to be a restricted free agent after next season in the summer of 2019. The Suns still have time to start trending upwards. Next season is my guess is they will want to make that happen which means sooner rather than later. Devin Booker won’t be there forever if they don’t. It could end up being much like a LeBron situation his first time in Cleveland.”
Devin Booker may consider following in the footsteps of LeBron James when he left the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2010 to join the Miami Heat. As Kevin Garnett told the Associated Press (h/t Boston.com), “loyalty is something that hurts you at times because you can’t get youth back.” In a previous Inquisitr report, Anthony Davis admitted that Garnett’s words of wisdom made him think of what could have happened if he leaves the New Orleans Pelicans.
Booker must be aware of KG’s quote, and if they continue to be a below-average team, it will not be a surprise if he part ways with the Suns. Booker will undeniably be a great addition to any team who wants to strengthen their chance of winning an NBA championship title. If the Suns are serious about keeping him long-term, they should surround him with quality players who can help them compete against powerhouse teams in the league.
