Phoenix Suns Great Makes Bold Claim About Devin Booker

Phoenix Suns superstar Devin Booker is continually the subject of criticism from various angles.

One of those is the purported over-correction Booker has taken on aggressiveness as a scorer vs. taking a backseat as a table-setter. 

Kyle Odegard sat down recently with Suns great Eddie Johnson for an exclusive interview in which this topic was touched upon.

“He needs to be aggressive. You’ve got to have the head of a snake. He has to be the one. It should not be equal shot distribution. He should be taking the most shots. He should be the one in the fourth quarter being the focus, the hub. That’s how it is, and that’s how it’s always going to be.”

Johnson left no stones unturned here. One of the most significant questions surrounding the Phoenix roster this season rests in this exact topic, so it becomes a natural one to form a direct opinion on.

The acquisition of forward Miles Bridges over the summer now means that the Suns roster four players that took at least 13 field goal attempts per game in 2025-26 in the starting lineup alone. Debate will continue to rage on as to what usage rates and shot distribution should look like, as well as how the floor spacing should take shape. 

Ultimately, Booker needs to take on the mantle of the "head of a snake" as Johnson metaphorically painted the picture of. The 12-year veteran is at his best and most effective when he sets the tone in the first/fourth quarters, with his playmaking arsenal being accentuated when he's scoring at his best. 

Year two of Jalen Green in the desert adds an extension to making life easier for Booker on paper. Green alluded to making it an emphasis over the offseason to work on pacing and decision making, something he worked with two-time MVP Steve Nash on.

If Green is able to take on the mantle of being the de-facto point guard effectively, it would be a major positive development for Booker. Green would be able to break down defenses with more precise timing, making the kick-out game an effective weapon when combining it with Booker's off-ball prowess.

Beyond Green are Bridges and starting C Oso Ighodaro. The former is displaying an underrated aspect of his game to an even greater extent, while the latter is a phenomenal passer - particularly on the high block.

All of these factors - along with head coach Jordan Ott's tendency to be adaptive - create conditions for Booker to post his first season of 20+ shot attempts per game since the 2022-23 season.

The Suns' all-time leading scorer will ultimately dictate what his ceiling on shot attempts are on a nightly basis, as well as what shots will add the most positive value to a Phoenix offense that is looking to evolve into an above-average one in the season ahead.