What can Devin Booker of the Phoenix Suns salvage from this season? Believe it or not, there has been a lot of growth that will help Booker build his legacy in Phoenix.
During the 2024-25 season, we really haven’t heard a peep from Booker, and to me, that shows he is working in the shadows, preparing for what’s next with the Suns this coming offseason. He knows things will get better, and he has an owner in Mat Ishbia who will do everything possible to surround him with enough talent to compete for the next five years.
I was present Monday night at PHX Arena for the Toronto Raptors vs. Suns game, which ended in a blowout victory for Phoenix. Early and often, I watched Booker on and off the court, studying his presence around his teammates in the huddle and his place on the bench right next to the coaches. The Suns were winning by double-digits for most of the game, leading to smiles and laughs between the players, but there was something different about Booker.
Devin Booker playing like a franchise cornerstone tonight
— John Voita (@DarthVoita) March 18, 2025
Booker is now the boss.
This is what I love to do. Overanalyze a player's actions and his emotions around teammates, his posture on the court, where he’s looking, and what he’s focused on during gameplay and even on the bench.
But Booker owns that bench and sets the tone, even when he isn’t speaking. He is the one Suns guard Collin Gillespie is talking to during garbage time, soaking up as much information as he can before the final horn sounds.
Now, you might say, ‘Well, of course, Booker is the leader and the unsung hero of Phoenix’. But I was willing to blow it up if he wanted out of a Suns uniform. What I realized Monday is that the Suns will not find a better talent than Booker this offseason. And if the goal is a championship, the only way to get there would be to find a player more elite than Booker and another who could serve as a strong 2B next to his 2A.
That isn’t plausible this offseason.
But then it hit me Monday night. It’s been Booker all along. He will be the Suns’ best player for the next few seasons. The talent around him will be good enough to keep Phoenix competitive, but more importantly, we’ll get to see his true potential as the definitive No. 1 option on the team.
What he has learned this season is true grit — the ability to push through adversity — while the front office has learned that they must build around him, not just around stars. They now know they must get him players who fit his style: tough, resilient, and unrelenting.
This next chapter for Booker and the Suns is going to be fascinating. Whether they rise or fall, it will be his story to write. And for the first time in a long time, I’m excited to see what the future holds for Booker.
Win or lose, this team will have a different mentality moving forward. And if you don’t like it, well, you can f* off.
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