Suns Aren’t Actually Facing the Devin Booker Problem Some Fear

The "apron" era of the NBA has drastically shifted how the majority of franchises have operated - including the Phoenix Suns, who shifted away from the "top-heavy" approach after the failed experiment that surrounded Devin Booker with Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal. 

Phoenix's recalibration included firmly reasserting Booker as the franchise player - this included gifting him a four-year max contract that made the now 11-year vet one of the highest paid players in the entire NBA.

While Booker had a strong 2025-26 campaign, it was seen as a disappointment by many (relative to expectations), with a sizable amount of fans and media alike pointing to concerns as to how the contract will ultimately age.

Dan Favale of Bleacher Report - on the side of those mentioned above - is quite convinced that Booker's contract is amongst the worst across the entire NBA - with only Joel Embiid, Trae Young, Paul George, and De'Aaron Fox being considered worse bargains relative to the deal each signed.

"Devin Booker vs. Donovan Mitchell is a legitimate debate. Many will place Spida's new deal higher up on the ladder, if only because he's owed an extra year and $72.4 million. That's fair.

At the same time, Booker is the only one of the two guaranteed to have a top-10 salary in each of the next two seasons. Paying someone like a Second Team All-NBA staple when they've made just one All-NBA squad, period, over the past four years is dangerous territory.

Booker is probably better suited to lifting up an inferior supporting cast. He has more levels to his playmaking. But his reliance on mid-range jumpers is at an all-time high, coinciding with a drop in rim frequency compared to just a few years ago.

Although Mitchell will face similar challenges and fall into the smaller-guard box, he can lean on a mix of three-point volume and efficiency that Booker has never delivered. That should make for a more graceful aging curve."

It's no surprise to see Booker and Mitchell get compared yet again, as the guards have been jockeying for the title of best two-guard in the league over the last several seasons. However, the take that Mitchell's game will age better is a curious one, as the Cleveland Cavaliers' star is undersized at the position and is as weak of a defender as Booker is. 

The other notion that Booker is suited as a floor-raiser is a false pretense as well, as the Phoenix ceiling had potential to be much higher last season - injuries to players such as Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, and Grayson Allen prevented a potential 50-win team from coming to fruition. While Booker is relying on as many mid-range looks as ever, he is still incredibly proficient from 10-22 feet, and will never lose his touch - much akin to players before with similar archetypes, such as Ray Allen. 

Booker's improved and diversified playmaking is another reason why his contract will age better than expected. The former Kentucky prodigy has vastly improved his passing versatility in recent seasons, becoming one of the best skip passers across the NBA in the process. If Booker continues to take this route, he could play his way into becoming amongst the "elite" playmakers in the league. 

One area of concern is certain in this discussion - three-point shooting. Booker has frequently been seen as having one of the purest shooting forms in the NBA since his rookie year, but it hasn't always translated to the stat sheet - especially in regular season play, as evidenced by his sub-30% mark on pull-up threes last season. 

Booker's best angle to become an above-average shooter from range once again is likely based in personnel decisions that GM Brian Gregory can make in the months ahead. There's a clear path to Booker returning to being a lethal spot-up shooter - if the Suns manage to acquire an athletic point guard that excels in getting to the lane and setting teammates up for quality looks.

Regardless, Booker remains one of the 20 best players in the NBA, and his best qualities still shine frequently enough to believe that he will return to a consistent All-NBA level over the next three-plus seasons.

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Kevin Hicks is a contributing writer to SunsRoundtable. He can be reached on X @khicks_21.