Contrary to what was suggested in a recent report, it appears Phoenix Suns shooting guard Devin Booker is still looking forward to remaining with the organization for the 2020-21 season.
As quoted by The Arizona Republic , journalist Ryen Russillo made a recent appearance on The Bill Simmons Podcast , telling the show’s eponymous host that Booker’s unhappiness in Phoenix is the NBA’s “worst kept secret” and suggesting the one-time All-Star wants to be traded. He further predicted things could “get ugly” if the Suns don’t make the playoffs in the 2020-21 campaign.
The outlet noted certain team and league insiders tried to debunk the rumors soon after they first emerged, including Phoenix Sports 98.7 FM’s John Gambadoro, who took to Twitter Wednesday afternoon in hopes of clearing things up.
“This is 100% NOT TRUE. Book is happy in Phoenix, excited for the season, loves how they finished in the bubble, excited about free agency. Not one time has he ever told anyone he wanted out. Don’t listen to this garbage.”
Commenting on the continued rumors surrounding Booker’s future with the Suns, ClutchPoints wrote the speculation of a potential trade started to die down a bit during the NBA’s classification stage in the Orlando, Florida, bubble earlier this year. Although they barely missed qualifying for the postseason, the Suns won all eight of their remaining games after the league restarted operations in July.
During that winning streak, Booker was not the only Suns player who stepped up for the club, as there were other members of the team who showed they were “ready to compete.” As such, the publication opined it isn’t surprising the 24-year-old is apparently content with his team’s current situation.
According to quotes published by The Arizona Republic , Booker hinted as much in an interview earlier this year, where he told Dime he was impressed with how head coach Monty Williams helped change the Suns’ culture upon getting hired for the 2019-20 season. He noted that while the organization experienced some challenges with injuries, he and his teammates ultimately proved they aren’t a “walkover team.”
While Booker is still occasionally mentioned in hypothetical deals , there have also been proposed transactions designed to help keep him happy by pairing him up with another superstar player.
One such idea involved acquiring Houston Rockets point guard Russell Westbrook for a package that includes veteran playmaker Ricky Rubio, wingmen Kelly Oubre Jr. and Mikal Bridges, and big man Frank Kaminsky.
