PHOENIX -- In the midst of a wildly disappointing season for the Phoenix Suns, another equally shocking development has arose.
One would be hard-pressed to label a player that is top 10 in both scoring and assist figures as a let-down - that is where things stand with Phoenix franchise player Devin Booker.
Booker is posting 25.3 PPG and 7.1 APG on the season - this could very well be his worst season in the league since his second campaign in the league.
This follows a full season of playing alongside an all-time great in Kevin Durant, Phoenix acquiring pieces that were thought to fit better next to the star guard, and winning a gold medal with Team USA in Paris last summer.
The latter of the three could be the root of his issues this season - at least per future basketball Hall of Fame member Carmelo Anthony.
Anthony took to his 7 P.M. in Brooklyn podcast to share his thoughts as to why Booker has struggled more this season compared to any prior one in which Phoenix was expected to be competitive.
From Anthony:
"I think (Booker) is suffering from the USA team. Not suffering negatively… He's been impacted by the culture of Team USA… Now you come back to Phoenix but have a different mentality on winning now."
Booker had to re-invent himself for a second consecutive Olympic run due to the presence of Stephen Curry, LeBron James, and Durant. He had to become the hard-nosed POA defender, a spot-up shooter, a connective passer in the midst of one of the most robust collections of offensive talent assembled since the 1992 Dream Team.
While the sacrifices served Booker well in some ways - he has continued to make clear strides as an all-around playmaker - it's not far-fetched to say that his aggressiveness as a scorer has been inversely impacted.
A career-high three-point volume output and a career-low rim pressure rate have ultimately resulted in the former All-NBA guard posting roughly league average efficiency.
Will this carry over to future seasons - or is it just a blip on the radar?
Booker could be back to being a solo star next season due to the uncertainty of Durant's future, which could impact spacing and other factors surrounding his situation in 2025-26.
Time will tell if this is just an anomaly or the start of a troubling pattern, but Suns fans know Booker's resilience is very real - counting the all-time leading scorer for the franchise out at this stage isn't a safe bet.
Booker returns to play tonight against the Houston Rockets - the game is set to tip-off shortly after 6 P.M. Arizona time.