1:25pm: Booker wasn’t upset with the Suns’ front office over the fact that Ulis was waived, but the “lack of communication” regarding the move upset him, a source tells Jordan Schultz of Yahoo Sports (Twitter links).
12:22pm: The Suns waived guard Tyler Ulis on Saturday before his salary for 2018/19 could become guaranteed, and the move isn’t sitting well with one noteworthy Sun. According to Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports (via Twitter), Devin Booker is upset with Phoenix’s front office over the release of Ulis, his best friend.
Booker, who is entering his fourth NBA season, is now eligible for a contract extension for the first time in his career. He and the Suns could come to an agreement anytime between now and the start of the 2018/19 regular season, and a new deal would keep Booker off the restricted free agent market in 2019.
It remains to be seen whether Booker’s unhappiness with the front office will have any real impact on those contract negotiations. While it probably isn’t a great time for the franchise to upset its star scorer, players eligible for rookie scale extensions generally don’t turn down maximum-salary offers, as Scott Bordow of The Arizona Republic observes (via Twitter). And Phoenix is expected to put that sort of offer on the table.
It would be a surprise if Ulis’ release creates an irreparable rift in the relationship between Booker and the Suns, but it’s still something worth watching as the club looks to lock up the 21-year-old to a long-term deal.
Just the fact that it COULD upset their star player means that them waiving Ulis was a bad idea. It’s not he was going to make $10 million or something. He was going to make $1.5 million. Stupid move by the Suns that could set them back another 4-5 years if Booker leaves.
that’s the truth
Booker can’t leave if the Suns truly want to keep him. If he rejects the extension, he will go to free agency as a RFA, which means the Suns can match any offer.
I should say if they want to keep him regardless of how he feels.
He could accept the rfa tender and head to FA the following year unrestricted. Not saying he will or that he even wants to, but if he wants to leave eventually – the Suns can’t stop him.
He could sign the one year restricted tender and become a free agent the following year.
yes he can, he can accept a 1 year deal then the suns can match it and then he’s free to leave after that season
I would wait to extend him anyway
Rightfully so. Apart from being Booker’s best friend, Phoenix has a clear need at the pg spot and waived a solid backup to sign Ariza, who probably won’t stay after this year and creates a logjam at the 3.
Yea what was the point of signing Ariza? I dont know how some of these GMs have jobs. You have Warren and traded an unprotected pick for Bridges.
Ariza will play the 4. Plus warren and maybe Mikal will get time there. Most teams play 3 wing players at a time.
15 mil for Ariza was ridiculous. Why? They’re not competing next year and it’s a 1 year deal. It’s nearly twice what he’s ever made in a season. I assume they move him at the deadline.
They had the cap space, and they need some vets. It’s a nice, no risk move for them.
How does it create a logjam at the 3? They only have Ariza, Bridges, and Dudley there
Plus TJ and josh. Dudley is more of a 4 but that is still 4 SF’s. If for bothing else it takes away minutes from Josh and bridges who need PT to develop
Pg(?), Booker, Ariza, Jackson, Ayton
Warren, Bridges, Knight, Chandler, etc off the bench…
Suns owner Sarver has never been found guilty of smooth moves.
He’s notoriously cheap. Should have fired the GM after the IT debacle but he’s not trying to pay teo general managers at the same time.
I’d be careful about giving too much power to the “star player” who led the Suns to the…worst record in the league?
I mean, not everyone should be allowed to play LeBrons player/GM/coCh role, eh?
Amen
Fair point and I would agree with you if we were not talking about such a relatively minor move. Booker is not complaining about drafting Ayton or signing Ariza or anything major the Suns have done. He is talking about releasing a guy that started over half their games last season and was due to make a relative pittance this year. I don’t see him as “LeBron-ing”things, I see him making a valid point.
They were the worst team in the league. If things are going well, Tyler Ulis doesn’t start. He’s a borderline NBA/G League player.
Agreed, he will get over it if/when they actually start winning games without his friend.
If he’s a good backup option, for cheap…..why would they release him? Why not try and re-sign him? But can you save anything? 1.25 ? What is the league minimum
Booker for Leonard.
Booker for Isaac.
And truth be told, who the hell is Booker to be upset. It’s a business – they don’t need to inform him of anything.
McDonough is a modern day Billy King. I wish David Griffin still worked for the Suns so there was hope we could fix this mess.
Nice move Phoenix… so they get rid of Booker’s best friend to bring a Ariza, that they don’t need as they have too many wings, I get about being a vet, but you can get a vet at PG, anyway they already have vets with rings in the team, also to have a vet doesn’t have to be a playing vet & most definitely not for a king’s ransom 15MM SMH, what the kids will think about this guy coming in at this price…