Booker agrees to 2 year 145 million dollar contract extension

[Phrazbit]

There’s been a lot of talk on this thread about it, but does everyone who is complaining that he should have taken less “for the good of the team” have a list of all those other guys that have actually done so? Jalen Brunson, ok. But who else is on that list?

It’s not normal.

Bridges signed with us on a deal that everyone knew was a sweetheart of a deal for the Suns… and the Ishbia Suns went right ahead and used that team friendly contract as a trade chip, shipping him out of town to a place he didn’t want to go.

This isn’t unique to the Suns, but unless a player gets some sort of guarantee, it’s hard to blame them for looking to maximize their value.

Also, even with Jalen Brunson, the Mavs low balled him, if they offered him what he was worth in the first place he never would have left Dallas.

He’s the Mavericks version of Joe Johnson.

 

[Chaplin]

Bridges signed with us on a deal that everyone knew was a sweetheart of a deal for the Suns… and the Ishbia Suns went right ahead and used that team friendly contract as a trade chip, shipping him out of town to a place he didn’t want to go.

This isn’t unique to the Suns, but unless a player gets some sort of guarantee, it’s hard to blame them for looking to maximize their value.

Also, even with Jalen Brunson, the Mavs low balled him, if they offered him what he was worth in the first place he never would have left Dallas.

He’s the Mavericks version of Joe Johnson.

Bridges was different and you know that. He wasn’t a known quantity at the time and he didn’t take less for the betterment of the team. It was his rookie extension and we offered a fair price for his services. He ended up exceeding his contract but let’s not pretend that he was a max player actively taking less money to help the team.

 

[Hoop Head]

Bridges signed with us on a deal that everyone knew was a sweetheart of a deal for the Suns… and the Ishbia Suns went right ahead and used that team friendly contract as a trade chip, shipping him out of town to a place he didn’t want to go.

This isn’t unique to the Suns, but unless a player gets some sort of guarantee, it’s hard to blame them for looking to maximize their value.

Also, even with Jalen Brunson, the Mavs low balled him, if they offered him what he was worth in the first place he never would have left Dallas.

He’s the Mavericks version of Joe Johnson.

Brunson appeared to take a sweetheart extension in NY because they built a contender around him with his friends. That situation was unique. They used money he could have received and spent it on Mikal, Anunoby, and bringing in KAT.

The Suns have almost done the opposite to Booker. They got him CP3 to join the team built here and then offed that team for mercenaries in KD and Beal. We know Booker was close to Mikal, Cam, and Payne as well as Paul. All 3 were sent off under the narrative "Booker can't win and we need a new leader". Meanwhile Booker regularly outplayed KD in their playoffs together but what did the Suns do? Trade for someone who plays Booker's position and send off the guy who was teaching him to takeover.

The whole mess of the 2023 year set this team back so far. I hope Ishbia learned from it.

 

[Mainstreet]

Brunson appeared to take a sweetheart extension in NY because they built a contender around him with his friends. That situation was unique. They used money he could have received and spent it on Mikal, Anunoby, and bringing in KAT.

The Suns have almost done the opposite to Booker. They got him CP3 to join the team built here and then offed that team for mercenaries in KD and Beal. We know Booker was close to Mikal, Cam, and Payne as well as Paul. All 3 were sent off under the narrative "Booker can't win and we need a new leader". Meanwhile Booker regularly outplayed KD in their playoffs together but what did the Suns do? Trade for someone who plays Booker's position and send off the guy who was teaching him to takeover.

The whole mess of the 2023 set this team back so far. I hope Ishbia learned from it.

If Suns ownership could go back in time and change what happened in 2023, I hope they would do it.

 

[Dr. Jones]

Bridges was paid on the way up.... Hence the discount. Booker is now being paid more for what he has done than what he will do IMO.

I love the guy for sure..... But winning more than 40 games in the Western Conference is going to be a 3 to 5 year project at this point IMO.

Good part is that in 3 years..... He will be in the middle of the pack and we will be laughing at some other fool for paying a similar player 80mm per year. Because it's coming.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Bridges signed with us on a deal that everyone knew was a sweetheart of a deal for the Suns… and the Ishbia Suns went right ahead and used that team friendly contract as a trade chip, shipping him out of town to a place he didn’t want to go.

This isn’t unique to the Suns, but unless a player gets some sort of guarantee, it’s hard to blame them for looking to maximize their value.

Also, even with Jalen Brunson, the Mavs low balled him, if they offered him what he was worth in the first place he never would have left Dallas.

He’s the Mavericks version of Joe Johnson.

eh... he's more like the Mavs second version of Steve Nash. Joe Johnson never led that Hawks team anywhere but a couple of first round losses. Brunson immediately made the Knicks a playoff team, then a second round playoff team, then a Conference Finalist and due to injury, probably one of the favorites in the East next year.

 

[Yuma]

The stat that I will keep reminding people is Booker is paid 33% of the salary cap now. When the extension kicks in, he will be paid 33% of the salary cap at that point, too. That's how much the cap is projected to go up. His salary remains the same on a percentage basis.

 

[Mainstreet]

Devin Booker has a player option on his extension for 2029-30.

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[95pro]

Devin Booker has a player option on his extension for 2029-30.

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So if he declines, he can extend again? If he extends again, we can assume for greater than 33%?

 

[Suns_fan69]

So if he declines, he can extend again? If he extends again, we can assume for greater than 33%?

I think the max is 35% of the cap, and if I'm reading the rules right he was actually eligible for that already?
https://www.hoopsrumors.com/2024/06/nba-maximum-salaries-for-2024-25.html

But, this is an article from last year so don't know how accurate it is. It SHOULD be, as the CBA hasn't changed, but who knows.

 

[GatorAZ]

Devin Booker has a player option on his extension for 2029-30.

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There goes the logic that we gained any kind of “leverage” in this completely unnecessary extension.

 

[Mainstreet]

.
There goes the logic that we gained any kind of “leverage” in this completely unnecessary extension.

The Suns gained flexibility going forward to make trades and use exceptions, of course with a keen eye on the CBA.

Beal had all the leverage, except the Suns controlled his destiny for two seasons if he stayed. Now he has a chance to make the lost buyout money back and more if he plays well.

 

[Cheesebeef]

The Suns gained flexibility going forward to make trades and use exceptions, of course with a keen eye on the CBA.

Beal had all the leverage, except the Suns controlled his destiny for two seasons if he stayed. Now he has a chance to make the lost buyout money back and more if he plays well.

Gator was talking about Booker’s extension giving us flexibility.

 

[Phrazbit]

eh... he's more like the Mavs second version of Steve Nash. Joe Johnson never led that Hawks team anywhere but a couple of first round losses. Brunson immediately made the Knicks a playoff team, then a second round playoff team, then a Conference Finalist and due to injury, probably one of the favorites in the East next year.

Fair, for sure Brunson has achieved things in a couple years that Johnson never sniffed, but it’s more about that just Dallas didn’t appreciate him and created awkwardness by massively undervaluing him. Similar to us with Johnson.

While Nash on the other hand, I think Dallas didn’t keep because they were worried about his back.

But that’s splitting hairs, both situations are comparable.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Fair, for sure Brunson has achieved things in a couple years that Johnson never sniffed, but it’s more about that just Dallas didn’t appreciate him and created awkwardness by massively undervaluing him. Similar to us with Johnson.

While Nash on the other hand, I think Dallas didn’t keep because they were worried about his back.

But that’s splitting hairs, both situations are comparable.

I can’t believe that team has been bailed out of multiple moronic moves with Brunson and Luka by getting that first pick.

 

[Mainstreet]

@GatorAZ

I misread your post, I'm not sure why we should expect Booker to give up anything in a two-year extension.

He is getting paid to spend his prime years with Phoenix.

I think this is why they did the extension now, to make a statement of commitment.

 

[Cheesebeef]

@GatorAZ

I misread your post, I'm not sure why we should expect Booker to give up anything in a two-year extension.

He is getting paid to spend his prime years with Phoenix.

I think this is why they did the extension now, to make a statement of commitment.

Commitment to what… a middling team that can’t even make a play-in?

 

[Mainstreet]

Commitment to what… a middling team that can’t even make a play-in?

With Kevin Durant carrying the team, how could that happen?

 

[Hoop Head]

@GatorAZ

I misread your post, I'm not sure why we should expect Booker to give up anything in a two-year extension.

He is getting paid to spend his prime years with Phoenix.

I think this is why they did the extension now, to make a statement of commitment.

We're at a pre-bubble season point again. This is now the time for Ishbia to establish who he is and create the culture the Suns will represent under him. Taking care of your guys makes sense. Booker is his guy, for better or worse. After all Devin dealt with since Ishbia came in, he could have been well within his rights to ask out but he didn't. Ishbia compensating his loyalty and commitment to Phoenix is a smart move. Booker is 28. If Ishbia is going to be on the hook for $17 million a year to Beal for Bradley Beal the next 5 years then I don't see why Booker shouldn't be have Brinks trucks backing up to his house as well.

 

[Mainstreet]

We're at a pre-bubble season point again. This is now the time for Ishbia to establish who he is and create the culture the Suns will represent under him. Taking care of your guys makes sense. Booker is his guy, for better or worse. After all Devin dealt with since Ishbia came in, he could have been well within his rights to ask out but he didn't. Ishbia compensating his loyalty and commitment to Phoenix is a smart move. Booker is 28. If Ishbia is going to be on the hook for $17 million a year to Beal for Bradley Beal the next 5 years then I don't see why Booker shouldn't be have Brinks trucks backing up to his house as well.

Now, if we could only find another Ricky Rubio or Chris Paul type player to rudder the ship, but I don't think that will happen now.

The Suns appear ready to roll with Booker and Green.

Collin Gillespie could be a wild card.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

.
There goes the logic that we gained any kind of “leverage” in this completely unnecessary extension.

Eh still four years. Gained a year of leverage.

 

[GatorAZ]

Eh still four years. Gained a year of leverage.

The Suns had leverage as it was. Three years of salary that wasn’t in the top-5 highest paid players for a non-superstar.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

The Suns had leverage as it was. Three years of salary that wasn’t in the top-5 highest paid players for a non-superstar.

Fair

 

[Cheesebeef]

With Kevin Durant carrying the team, how could that happen?

You mean Kevin Durant AND Devin Booker? Yeah… Book was just as much responsible for last year’s drek as KD. And now it’s just gonna be Book. That’s not committing to winning. It’s committing fraud on a fan base to make casuals THINK you care about winning, when reality is this team is going to suck out loud something fierce .

Now, they needed to move KD because we were going nowhere with him but reality is we need to trade Book as well because we’re actually going to be worse than last year.

Unfortunately there needs to be short term pain before actual gain. But we’re just delaying the inevitable by holding on to the only asset we have to truly rebuild.

 

[Hoop Head]

You mean Kevin Durant AND Devin Booker? Yeah… Book was just as much responsible for last year’s drek as KD.

This is interesting. Why do you attribute to the finals run almost solely to Chris Paul but equally blame Booker & KD for last year? Sounds like a rather convenient shift. Good? Not Devin Booker. Bad? Devin Booker!

I'd address the rest of the your post but it's all meaningless conjecture. You can believe we'll be worse and NEED to trade Booker all you want but you also believed we NEEDED to trade for KD to contend. You admit that was a mistake now but ultimately it doesn't matter much since the price is paid and it came after 2 years of failure.

Now you may be right, you may not, but no one is expecting this team to contend for a championship so all it seems you are doing is trying to argue against a position no one holds. We're rebuilding and virtually everyone admits that except for you. You seem to rail against anyone who is fine with this sort of rebuild.