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Devin Booker is the franchise cornerstone of the Phoenix Suns. But is he still deserving of such a title? The short answer is yes, but not all are sold on Booker's level of play in recent years.
NBA analyst Stephen Noh of The Sporting News, in the midst of discussing the Suns' power ranking (No. 19), wrote, "Devin Booker has quietly begun to decline."
Let's analyze if Noh's claim is true.
The arguable best year of Booker's career was the 2021-2022 season, when he averaged 26.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 4.8 assists on 46.6% shooting and 38.3% shooting from three-point range in 68 games. As a result of these statistics and the Suns' success, he finished No. 4 in MVP voting only behind Nikola Jokic, Joel Embiid, and Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Fast forward to the 2025-2026 campaign, Booker recorded 26.1 points, 6.0 assists, and 3.9 rebounds per game on 45.6% shooting and 33.0% shooting from the arc in 64 appearances. Phoenix ended the year as the No. 8 seed.
On the surface, these two seasons are quite similar with the exception of his efficiency from the outside and the team's seeding, so what led Noh to make this bold statement?
To put it plainly: Booker's role.
In 2022, Booker was playing alongside a true playmaker and one of the greatest point guards in history, Chris Paul. This allowed him to play his natural position of shooting guard, where he could focus on what he does best: scoring. Ultimately, Booker is a score-first player no matter how many times the Suns ask him to evolve into a playmaker too.
That's what has led to uncomfortable conversations about Booker's play. With Jalen Green in the mix, Booker is being forced into a point guard-like role. Notice how his number of assists from 2022 to last season increased while his shot attempts decreased (20.9 to 18.7).
To say Booker has declined is inaccurate. A better way to approach it is to claim Booker's decline is not of his own doing but rather the fault of the Suns' front office for not allowing him to play where he fits best.
Join The SunsRoundtable
Head over to the SunsRoundtable page and hit the "Join" button at the top of the page... it's completely FREE! You'll have the opportunity to engage with other Suns fans who live and breathe the team, share your thoughts on the organization, and more. If you're asked to sign up or download the Roundtable app... that's free too.
Anthony Pasciolla is the publisher of SunsRoundtable. He can be reached via email at [email protected] or followed on X @AnthonyPasci.
Continue reading...
NBA analyst Stephen Noh of The Sporting News, in the midst of discussing the Suns' power ranking (No. 19), wrote, "Devin Booker has quietly begun to decline."
Let's analyze if Noh's claim is true.
The arguable best year of Booker's career was the 2021-2022 season, when he averaged 26.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 4.8 assists on 46.6% shooting and 38.3% shooting from three-point range in 68 games. As a result of these statistics and the Suns' success, he finished No. 4 in MVP voting only behind Nikola Jokic, Joel Embiid, and Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Fast forward to the 2025-2026 campaign, Booker recorded 26.1 points, 6.0 assists, and 3.9 rebounds per game on 45.6% shooting and 33.0% shooting from the arc in 64 appearances. Phoenix ended the year as the No. 8 seed.
On the surface, these two seasons are quite similar with the exception of his efficiency from the outside and the team's seeding, so what led Noh to make this bold statement?
To put it plainly: Booker's role.
In 2022, Booker was playing alongside a true playmaker and one of the greatest point guards in history, Chris Paul. This allowed him to play his natural position of shooting guard, where he could focus on what he does best: scoring. Ultimately, Booker is a score-first player no matter how many times the Suns ask him to evolve into a playmaker too.
That's what has led to uncomfortable conversations about Booker's play. With Jalen Green in the mix, Booker is being forced into a point guard-like role. Notice how his number of assists from 2022 to last season increased while his shot attempts decreased (20.9 to 18.7).
To say Booker has declined is inaccurate. A better way to approach it is to claim Booker's decline is not of his own doing but rather the fault of the Suns' front office for not allowing him to play where he fits best.
Join The SunsRoundtable
Head over to the SunsRoundtable page and hit the "Join" button at the top of the page... it's completely FREE! You'll have the opportunity to engage with other Suns fans who live and breathe the team, share your thoughts on the organization, and more. If you're asked to sign up or download the Roundtable app... that's free too.
Anthony Pasciolla is the publisher of SunsRoundtable. He can be reached via email at [email protected] or followed on X @AnthonyPasci.
Continue reading...
