The Devin Booker non-appreciation thread.

[outcent13]

I think Book is stuck in this isolation style of play they were running the last couple of years. The team now is all about ball movement. Hopefully it’s just an adjustment period. That being said I don’t think he’s been as bad as some think. Gonna need him to take over in some games this year for sure.

 

[Weenus O'Baggins]

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If only there was a thread to say such things instead of making your own.

 

[Mainstreet]

For those who think the Suns would be better off without Devin Booker, you might like the thread linked below as well.

Better yet, maybe they could be combined.

The Devin Booker non-appreciation thread.

apparently, it is now "official policy" that critical thinking in a thread noted as an "appreciation thread" is considered "trolling." So, to be fair, though there are surely things to appreciate about Booker's decade as a Sun, that goes in the "Booker is the best Sun ever...and it isn't even...

www.arizonasportsfans.com

 

[BooksOrangePlanet]

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[Superbone]

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If only there was a thread to say such things instead of making your own.

I finally know what 1Tin looks like.

 

[newBluePlanet]

I finally know what 1Tin looks like.

no. you don't. there is a photo of me on this site. but not in this forum.

 

[Phrazbit]

Well, he's got fantastic splits and I find this take particularly wild when it comes after tonight's game... where he kept trying to get teammates good looks late and they kept passing up shots so finally he just took that game over and won the game in the final few minutes.

He's also been very solid on D. It helps that he isn't having to guard the opposing best guards, as he did the last few years but now Brooks and Goodwin take that job.

You take Booker off this team and the offense is in shambles. He's not only their best distributor but their fall back option when things go sideways.

Outside of his 3 point shooting, which sucks, he's having a great season. And I think a big problem with his 3 point shooting is he basically has no spot up 3 point chances with the way we play offense with him on the court. He's either on the ball or he's a distraction. Which has worked out great, we take a ton of wide open threes.

A year ago, if anyone on this board was told our record would be what it is, and our 2nd best player would be Dillon Brooks, our 3rd best player would be Collin Gillespe, and there would somehow be a tone that Booker is part of the problem, they'd be deemed insane.

Thinking Booker is holding this team back is absolute insanity.

 

[Sparky16]

$75M is a clown show... no one in the NBA is worth $10M in my opinion. But its not my $, I only go when its on the company dime. However, Book has been better than the last 2 years. The part I hate is the pretending he can play point, his handles are terrible. Gillespie/Bouyea are 10 X better. Book had some terrible t/o last night along with O'neale

 

[Carolinacacti]

Well, he's got fantastic splits and I find this take particularly wild when it comes after tonight's game... where he kept trying to get teammates good looks late and they kept passing up shots so finally he just took that game over and won the game in the final few minutes.

He's also been very solid on D. It helps that he isn't having to guard the opposing best guards, as he did the last few years but now Brooks and Goodwin take that job.

You take Booker off this team and the offense is in shambles. He's not only their best distributor but their fall back option when things go sideways.

Outside of his 3 point shooting, which sucks, he's in having a great season. And I think a big problem with his 3 point shooting is he basically has no spot up 3 point chances with the way we play offense with him on the court. He's either on the ball or he's a distraction. Which has worked out great, we take a ton of wide open threes.

A year ago, if anyone on this board was told our record would be what it is, and our 2nd best player would be Dillon Brooks, our 3rd best player would be Collin Gillespe, and there would somehow be a tone that Booker is part of the problem, they'd be deemed insane.

Thinking Booker is holding this team back is absolute insanity.

Yes you take Booker off this team it would crumble. But I think when Green and Grayson come back you trade Booker and the team is better.

 

[Hoop Head]

Yes you take Booker off this team it would crumble. But I think when Green and Grayson come back you trade Booker and the team is better.

Grayson is a nice complimentary piece but that's it. He can't stay healthy long enough to be more than that. He maxes out as a 6th Man in the modern league.

 

[taz02]

Players who produce 25 PPG and 7 assists make big bucks. Booker has been a great team guy, great in the community and has always attracted talented players.

That said, he is a step below other top tier players for some of the reasons you cited, and he doesn't step up in big games that matter, (elimination games).

Before this season I felt we needed to trade Booker, I didn't think we could significantly improve without cashing in.
My view has changed.

We need to see how the team plays with Green healthy and how Fleming progresses before we consider trading Booker, unless an offer you can't refuse presents itself. A lesser trade such as Allen for a starting PF would be Ok.

 

[jf-08]

Suns with Booker > without Booker.

Be careful with what you want.

 

[Hoop Head]

What's interesting is how his stats looks compared to his career averages.

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Main difference when you dig deeper is his splits. He's scoring more when we lose.
The "Pre" category is pre-trade deadline. Outside of that it gives totals, home or away, wins or losses, or the month of the season.

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TS% is True Shooting, USG% is Usage rate, ORtg, and DRtg are offense oe defense rating and then +/-.

All stats from BBRef. https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/b/bookede01/splits/2026

 

[BooksOrangePlanet]

devin booker is larry fitzgerald

great player - not the absolute best at his position but is the absolute best at times - im not even getting into the basketball side of why we shouldn't trade book right now because that should be glaringly obvious

but seriously - devin booker will be in phx as long as he wants to be - we're lucky to have him and his loyalty - and i don't know what some of you are thinking lol book went to mishigan - the new owner loves him - i mean come on

but go head lol

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

He's really only had the one bad stretch before he went out with injury. I suspect he was playing through an injury at that point. He has been pretty solid since coming back.

 

[taz02]

Devin has been extremely loyal through some really tough times. Many if not most top tier players would have demanded a trade and torn the franchise apart. That has to be rewarded.

The only way you trade Booker is:

1. He wants to be traded
2. Ott wants him traded
3. An offer that cannot be passed up
4. Decision is made to blow up the team

The team is clicking great right now; we have Fleming coming along and Green. Let's see how this year plays out before making a drastic change.

 

[GatorAZ]

He’s Joe Johnson. Very good but overpaid.

The extension was completely unnecessary but it’s less problematic now because the team is overachieving.

 

[newBluePlanet]

among the posts in another thread that should be moved here, you've got a Booker fan citing his decade of stats that show little change, framed in the Suns worst decade, besides for 2 years under Chris Paul's leadership -- that includes the evidence that he is poor 3pt shooter and defender and "scores most when the Suns lose."

then there's this cliche in another post:

Devin has been extremely loyal through some really tough times. Many if not most top tier players would have demanded a trade and torn the franchise apart. That has to be rewarded.

that fails to connect, as the team's franchise player, Booker's responsibility for the "tough times" and epic collapses. Even now, given their surprise season, it's other players stepping up while Book just does his usual thing -- which is scoring mostly during periods of the game when anybody scoring at close to 50% from the field would do.

The leadership is coming from others under a ball-moving team concept which which does not come natural to players like Booker and Durant. Check out how Lakers' fans are clue-ing in to how their team is stronger without King James on the floor disrupting team flow.

it amazes me, in today's society, how people fail to demand that WE be rewarded, and are so quick to defer to false gods and icons

Booker has been coddled and overpaid, and now he's grossly overpaid and the team and the fans pay the price for that

THE PHOENIX SUNS DESERVE TO BE REWARDED
WITH ONE FLIPPING CHAMPIONSHIP AFTER 57 FLIPPING YEARS!

don't worry about another guy who makes a thousand times more than you for less work -- him and his family will be fine wherever he plays

 

[nashman]

Dumbest thread ever!

 

[newBluePlanet]

Dumbest thread ever!

dumbest post ever!

 

[taz02]

Booker is not a superstar and is overpaid, but you could say that about 90% of all NBA players ever.

Quality Employees/players who work hard, produce at a high level, attract talent and stay loyal no matter what are hard to find and are valuable assets.

I don't think Booker should be considered "untradable" but a 9-page thread of you debating his short comings, largely with yourself is a bit much.

There is a lot to like about this team and Booker, you should check it out, you might even enjoy this team.

 

[NashDishesDimes]

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If only there was a thread to say such things instead of making your own.

My B, didnt see it

 

[Adrian]

Merged

 

[Hoop Head]

THE PHOENIX SUNS DESERVE TO BE REWARDED
WITH ONE FLIPPING CHAMPIONSHIP AFTER 57 FLIPPING YEARS!

So much to choose but this is beyond dumb. No, the Suns don't deserve a championship. No team does. Championships are earned on the floor and the Suns haven't earned one. This isn't the NFL where a 1 game playoff is it, there's 7 games each series. The better team wins. Sometimes you need to overcome adversity but every team does so injuries aren't a legit excuse for falling short. Every team plays their schedule. At the end there is 1 winner and 29 losers. No consolation prizes for suiting up.

 

[GatorAZ]

So much to choose but this is beyond dumb. No, the Suns don't deserve a championship. No team does. Championships are earned on the floor and the Suns haven't earned one. This isn't the NFL where a 1 game playoff is it, there's 7 games each series. The better team wins. Sometimes you need to overcome adversity but every team does so injuries aren't a legit excuse for falling short. Every team plays their schedule. At the end there is 1 winner and 29 losers. No consolation prizes for suiting up.

Losing the coinflip for Alcindor (KAJ) is probably the worst bit of luck in the history of sports though.