Nobody’s knows but it’s fun to speculate. (Phoenix Suns Rumors). 2026

[AzStevenCal]

Player salaries are where the lines get gray.

It's more about, "What the market will bear." It's like in real life, salaries are not always equitable. They are what the marketplace dictates.

Fifteen players get paid more than Devin Booker.

NBA Contracts

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The point is, I think most stars (above and below him) are overpaid. Devin isn't unique in that regard.

 

[Mainstreet]

The point is, I think most stars (above and below him) are overpaid. Devin isn't unique in that regard.

We agree from our perspective.

However, the market (owners, players and the NBA) aka, CBA, largely dictate the market price.

For the most part, except for a few players above and below, Devin Booker is being paid about right from that aspect.

 

[Mainstreet]

It's interesting OKC has three of the highest paid players in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams.

Hard to argue with that as they might be the best team in the NBA. However, how they pay all this talent going forward will be interesting to watch.

 

[AzStevenCal]

We agree from our perspective.

However, the market (owners, players and the NBA) aka, CBA, largely dictate the market price.

For the most part, except for a few players above and below, Devin Booker is being paid about right from that aspect.

I don't think I'm making it clear, it isn't about Booker for me. I used to think you needed stars and role players but the supermax has changed things and the most recent agreement changes it even more.

I think, going forward, most teams will be better off with incredible depth than they are with the typical star led starting five because that star (or those stars) force you to go cheaper on your end of rotation players.

 

[Hoop Head]

It's interesting OKC has three of the highest paid players in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams.

Hard to argue with that as they might be the best team in the NBA. However, how they pay all this talent going forward will be interesting to watch.

If history is any indicator then they'll cheap out on the fringes. They paid Russ, KD, and Ibaka back in the day but going over their set limit for Harden was too rich.

They're also 3 of the highest paid since Chet and Jalen reupped last offseason. So the time in which you examine it skews things. Give it another year and they'll fall further down the list, albeit still on max deals.

 

[Raindog]

I don't think I'm making it clear, it isn't about Booker for me. I used to think you needed stars and role players but the supermax has changed things and the most recent agreement changes it even more.

I think, going forward, most teams will be better off with incredible depth than they are with the typical star led starting five because that star (or those stars) force you to go cheaper on your end of rotation players.

That's why OKC is smartly loaded up on draft capital. They will be able to swap out their higher cost complementary talent with less expensive drafted talent, and rinse/repeat that for a good long time. Their management saw the future and planned ahead, likely because they learned from the bitter lessons of the past.

The Suns on the other hand have suffered through two recent eras of not learning that lesson and instead electing to throw away all of their draft capital - both during the D'Antoni era and the more recent beginning of the Ish era. We shall see if the Suns have in any way wised up going forward.

 

[Mainstreet]

I don't think I'm making it clear, it isn't about Booker for me. I used to think you needed stars and role players but the supermax has changed things and the most recent agreement changes it even more.

I think, going forward, most teams will be better off with incredible depth than they are with the typical star led starting five because that star (or those stars) force you to go cheaper on your end of rotation players.

I'm not locked onto Booker per se either but looking at the system as a whole.

I think there will be something akin to a two-star systems for most teams in the NBA. And of course there are borderline players and players on their way up and on their way down. OKC might be okay with three stars with quality role players around them. They are blessed to have three young stars, all at one time.

IMO, the Suns had something close to what you mention, the incredible depth part, when they made their Finals and 64 season runs.

 

[Mainstreet]

If history is any indicator then they'll cheap out on the fringes. They paid Russ, KD, and Ibaka back in the day but going over their set limit for Harden was too rich.

They're also 3 of the highest paid since Chet and Jalen reupped last offseason. So the time in which you examine it skews things. Give it another year and they'll fall further down the list, albeit still on max deals.

We'll see what happens. With all their future draft picks, OKC might keep churning out stars.

Center/forward Thomas Sorber, drafted #15, who has sat out the season due to injury might end up being a steal.

 

[GatorAZ]

We'll see what happens. With all their future draft picks, OKC might keep churning out stars.

Center/forward Thomas Sorber, drafted #15, who has sat out the season due to injury might end up being a steal.

They won’t have to do anything major for a few years anyway as they’re still well under the 2nd apron. They also have the most draft assets.
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[Phrazbit]

That's why OKC is smartly loaded up on draft capital. They will be able to swap out their higher cost complementary talent with less expensive drafted talent, and rinse/repeat that for a good long time. Their management saw the future and planned ahead, likely because they learned from the bitter lessons of the past.

The Suns on the other hand have suffered through two recent eras of not learning that lesson and instead electing to throw away all of their draft capital - both during the D'Antoni era and the more recent beginning of the Ish era. We shall see if the Suns have in any way wised up going forward.

Their GM has been given the longest leash in history. I think largely because their owner is a cheapskate.

Nearly 15 years ago they blew it. A team that should’ve been a dynasty failed because the owner is cheap. They continued to cost cut cycling through star players, until finally they had to reset and despite a decade of underwhelming results given the talent, Presti got the green light to basically treat the nba like it’s a video game. It probably helps that they’re in one of the worst markets in the league so the pressure wasn’t so high.

It’s unique situation. To even get to where they are now their GM had to piss away the talents of three MVPs and survive the failure in order to cash in on dumping those players and tanking.

I don’t know how any team can replicate that.

 

[Cheesebeef]

They won’t have to do anything major for a few years anyway as they’re still well under the 2nd apron. They also have the most draft assets.
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My lord… they have 3 first round picks this year alone (including a lotto pick) AND still get to swap NEXT year’s Clippers pick too? That’s insane.

 

[Mainstreet]

They won’t have to do anything major for a few years anyway as they’re still well under the 2nd apron. They also have the most draft assets.
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Yeah, it's safe to say, OKC is well stocked both now and into the future, perhaps a dynasty in the making.

 

[Superbone]

Yeah, it's safe to say, OKC is well stocked both now and into the future, perhaps a dynasty in the making.

If we thought the Spurs had a dynasty, we ain't seen nothing yet.

 

[Superbone]

It's unfathomable that OKC are the defending champs and the favorites to win it all this year (Spurs getting up there) and yet they have this amazing draft capital while our Suns struggle to make the playoffs and have a bare cupboard of draft capital. It's going to be a struggle for us for a number of years while the Thunder are on easy street.

 

[Mainstreet]

If we thought the Spurs had a dynasty, we ain't seen nothing yet.

Yeah, and the NBA is trying to even out the tanking.

Suns fans might have to reluctantly accept being good and getting lucky, like finding a player who is a hidden gem, is the most likely path forward.

 

[Mainstreet]

If I could give Mat Ishbia advice, I'd recommend him to invest heavily in scouting and kick over every rock and stone around the world to find the next potential star... that is off everyone's radar.

An example is Goran Dragic who was a second round pick.

 

[Superbone]

Yeah, and the NBA is trying to even out the tanking.

Suns fans might have to reluctantly accept being good and getting lucky, like finding a player who is a hidden gem, is the most likely path forward.

Yeah, appears that's where we're at with our limited draft picks. I'm already hoping Fleming and Maluach are that. Gillespie another although he came back to earth in the latter part of the season. Goodwin has definitely been a hidden gem.

I am happy that we're concentrating on consistency for a change. Hard to believe we turned over our entire 2021 Finals team other than Booker less than five years later. At least I feel pretty good about our path from here but the limited draft capital puts a damper on things. And just as we seem to be at the top of our drafting game too. We've had some consistently great pics going back to Camara. And losing him makes me bristle too. He would have been perfect on our current team.

 

[Superbone]

If I could give Mat Ishbia advice, I'd recommend him to invest heavily in scouting and kick over every rock and stone around the world to find the next potential star... that is off everyone's radar.

An example is Goran Dragic who was a second round pick.

It seems like that is part of the plan. Hayes-Davis was an attempt at that that didn't pan out. We do have some second round picks going forward so hopefully we'll find some more gems there too.

 

[Mainstreet]

It seems like that is part of the plan. Hayes-Davis was an attempt at that that didn't pan out. We do have some second round picks going forward so hopefully we'll find some more gems there too.

And Luguentz Dort went undrafted out of ASU.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

It's interesting OKC has three of the highest paid players in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams.

Hard to argue with that as they might be the best team in the NBA. However, how they pay all this talent going forward will be interesting to watch.

They won’t be able to. But that’s the magic of how they’ve built. They have a bunch of of picks still to convey I believe. So they can keep backfilling. And they just got another lottery pick this year. They don’t need it, so I wouldn’t be surprised to see them trade it for more multiple future first round picks. They can keep doing this and just keep reloading.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

They won’t have to do anything major for a few years anyway as they’re still well under the 2nd apron. They also have the most draft assets.
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Good lord they have even more than I realized. They’re just going to take someone or two and trade the rest into the future. They’re going to have two picks per year for like a decade more.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

If I could give Mat Ishbia advice, I'd recommend him to invest heavily in scouting and kick over every rock and stone around the world to find the next potential star... that is off everyone's radar.

An example is Goran Dragic who was a second round pick.

Giannis was the best example. Milwaukee knocked that outta the park. Everyone else slept on him.

 

[Mainstreet]

Giannis was the best example. Milwaukee knocked that outta the park. Everyone else slept on him.

A lot of good things happen at #15 in the draft. Steve Nash was chosen there as well.

 

[Mainstreet]

They won’t be able to. But that’s the magic of how they’ve built. They have a bunch of of picks still to convey I believe. So they can keep backfilling. And they just got another lottery pick this year. They don’t need it, so I wouldn’t be surprised to see them trade it for more multiple future first round picks. They can keep doing this and just keep reloading.

Yeah, they can use the picks or trade them for future picks or players.

 

[Proximo]

If I could give Mat Ishbia advice, I'd recommend him to invest heavily in scouting and kick over every rock and stone around the world to find the next potential star... that is off everyone's radar.

An example is Goran Dragic who was a second round pick.

Goran Dragic was not a star.

Good scouting can find you solid role players in the second round, but stars almost never.