Major changes could be coming to the Suns this summer, but they won’t include a trade of Devin Booker, team owner Mat Ishbia told Tim MacMahon of ESPN.
Ishbia admits the team has fallen far short of expectations as it faces a desperate race to overtake Dallas and sneak into the play-in tournament as the 10th seed. But even if Phoenix misses out on the postseason, Ishbia plans to rebuild around the 28-year-old guard rather than consider trade offers.
“Never happen,” Ishbia said about the possibility of parting with Booker. “It’s silly. So here’s what I’ll tell you: I have Devin Booker in the prime. In order to win an NBA championship, you got to have a superstar. You got to have a great player.”
Sources tell MacMahon that the Rockets have made several calls about Booker, but have failed to gain any traction. Houston is uniquely positioned to leverage a deal, holding swap rights for the Suns’ first-round pick this year, along with the team’s unprotected first-rounders in 2027 and 2029. All those assets were originally sent to Brooklyn in the Durant trade two years ago.
Booker is likewise committed to staying in Phoenix and has no plans to request a trade, according to MacMahon. He went through four extreme losing seasons early in his career before helping turn the Suns into a winner and eventually reaching the Finals in 2021. He’s ready to repeat that process and wants to spend his entire career with one franchise. He has shared his intentions with Ishbia, CEO Josh Bartlestein and general manager James Jones, MacMahon adds.
“I take pride in the community in Phoenix, the people that have supported me since I was 18 when things were ugly,” Booker said. “And the people that are with us, we just fell short of accomplishing what we want. So I want to do it, and I want to do it here. That’s the responsibility of being a franchise player, and I wear that with honor. So it might not look the most pretty right now, but we got to get it done and I’m going to do it.”
There’s far less certainty surrounding Kevin Durant, who’s widely expected to be on the move this summer. Durant admitted being “blindsided” when his name came up in trade talks before last month’s deadline, and there’s heavy speculation that he’ll want to continue his career somewhere else next season. Durant, who will turn 37 in September, has one year left on his contract at $54.7MM.
A potential deal with the Warriors died when Durant said he didn’t want to return to the Bay Area. Sources tell MacMahon that Phoenix also discussed frameworks of Durant trades with the Timberwolves, Heat and Rockets, with some of those sources pointing to the Knicks as a possible fit. Houston officials told ESPN that the Suns called them to gauge their interest in Durant.
MacMahon’s sources said Suns management will consult with Durant and business partner Rich Kleiman on any trade discussions that take place this summer. Durant will be eligible to sign a two-year, $122MM extension with his new team.
Ishbia indicated that a Durant trade will be one of many strategies the front office plans to explore once the season ends.
“I’ll just say that we’re going to evaluate in the offseason,” Ishbia said. “We’re going to find a way to win, and it’s probably a lot easier winning with Kevin Durant than without him. But at the same time, yes, if we’re not good enough in this iteration of the Phoenix Suns, we’re going to find a way to be better next year. “
Bradley Beal, who was reluctant to waive his no-trade clause to help the Suns complete a deal for Jimmy Butler, suggested to MacMahon that he might be more open to changing teams during the offseason. Beal, who was demoted to a bench role in January and February, feels like he has been disrespected at times.
“It is a different deal in the summer,” he said. “Everything is kind of more laid out on the table. You got more options.”
Idiotic choice if Beal isn’t moved.
Well, it’s only idiotic if Beal agrees to waive his no trade clause AND they don’t trade.
Booker can get them back the most player and draft capital, its pretty idiotic keeping him around too.
Doncic trade changed the expected package back in a deal for a star player. …. If they ain’t dealing with Houston, who can put Jabari Smith in a package, or Detroit, who can put Jaden Ivey in a package ……. Gonna be real hard to pry a young player with promise away from another team. Draft capital can cause you to become Utah or Washington with a lot of picks, and still not add any talent worthwhile.
Very Barry said:
> Draft capital can cause you to become Utah or Washington
> with a lot of picks, and still not add any talent worthwhile.
That’s an opinion you’ve expressed before, but I can’t see any team that operates that way. Lottery picks are the way to long-term success. The CBA is very deliberately designed to favor building team on the draft and retaining those players using rookie extensions. The newest version of the CBA further enforces that. The approach worked for Boston, Denver, Golden State, and Milwaukee. Taking another approach is to swim upstream.
For every team like Utah that has botched their draft picks, there are 3 that have succeeded by building through the draft. OKC, Houston, Detroit, Orlando, and San Antonio are the next wave of winning teams.
San Antonio only succeeding by getting the #1 pick in Wembanyama draft. Orlando has taken not one, but two steps backwards now. OKC, Houston and Detroit have now all taken what 10 years to get to their current levels. Only OKC is a title contender this year. Houston and Detroit are first-round exits that will look to add a missing piece in the offseason. Danny Ainge got great praise for all the picks he had. He still hasn’t hit on one yet. Washington hasn’t hit on a draft pick since Brad Beal. Utah’s last hit was Donovan Mitchell. How do you build through the draft when you can’t find players????
Very Barry,
Those are inaccurate statements, and easily disproven. All the teams you mention have a young core of draft picks from the last 4 years. They’ve exited the tanking phase, without regression.
1. Houston: Green, Sengun, Smith, Thompson, Eason, Whitmore,
2. Detroit: Cunningham, Ivey, Duren, Thompson, Holland
3. Orlando: Wagner, Suggs, Banchero
4. San Antonio: Wemby, Castle, Vassell, Sochan
It takes 3-4 years to rebuild, 5 years max. But you can’t waver between tanking and competing like Utah, Chicago, and Charlotte or you’ll have to start all over again eventually.
No, Houston has not taken 10 years to get to their current level. They started a rebuild in 2021 by trading Harden and others, and have followed a disciplined path since then.
No, Orlando has not taken two steps back. They’ve had a bunch of injuries this year, but their young core, all drafted, continues to ascend. They’re better with Suggs healthy than they were last year.
The spurs are still a bad team. I get wemby got hurt but they were still an under .500 team even with Fox. People act like they’re a success story but they’ve been bad for a really long time, despite all the lottery picks they’ve added to their roster
DannyW -re Spurs, the important thing is that the trend is definitely up because the key young players are definitely improving.
Wemby will be in his 3rd year.Castle in his 2nd. With Fox, the Spurs will be expected to hit .500 next year.
Good, I want to see Suns suck for next decade, keeping Booker guarantees it.
This owner has torn this team’s future apart, only been owner for a couple season trade the house for Durrant, then Beal and what does he have to show for it a team that is the bottom feeder of the NBA. The Suns need to totally rebuild again ala this time like OKC build up through the draft, take your lumps for the next three or four seasons. Quit going for the super stars from other teams, build your own do your own do diligence.
They actually DID that with Ayton, Johnson, Bridges, and Booker. Then Jerry Jones 2.0 bought the team and decided to play with it like he was in a fantasy league.
Stupid.
Beal can’t be moved till end if year. Or even next year. It is what it is.
Moving KD is right move. Getting value to start the redo of this team. Booker is their home grown star. Suns can be competitive next year. While building for the future.
Only miracle is ……. Beal balls out next year. Making it easier to trade and get some kind of value. They can hope. KD imo has plenty of value still.
Al, I agree with you that trading KD is the right move. And that they need lottery picks and young talent.
But what can you get in return for a 37 year old with a shaky recent record for availability?
Would you agree that the market for KD is limited to currently competitive teams looking for a short-term boost AND which currently have young talent to spare?
Houston is the only team I can think of. Detroit, Orlando, and San Antonio may also have the players and draft capital to spare. The Warriors still fit the profile, but KD has already said no to them.
Beal can’t be moved unless he agrees to the trade, which is a big problem for the Suns.
It will be interesting to see what teams offer for KD, he’s not the player he used to be.
Devin Booker is no longer a “franchise” player. He can’t win you anything without a lot of help. After shooting 36% from distance last year, Booker is currently knocking down just 34.6% of his shots from distance. Booker doesn’t elevate anybody on the floor. Good player, but no longer on any type of “great” trajectory.
Yeah one yesr cements that. Especially a dysfunctional year.
28 yrs old. These are peak years 25-32. Which today is even longer Bron !!!
Avg 34 mins for his career ——-
Career 36% (3pt) shooter. Is a better ball handler and play maker today.
A 88% career FT shooter. The true definition of a shootet …
He’s at 7 ast this year. For a SG thats incredible.
4 rebs a gm plus a career 25 pts a game. 26 this year a dysfunctional year. His peak scoring is 28 and 27. Please man. You need to watch him. His total production is actually up this year. 2Way sport something no one here understands. All that on a dysfunctional year.
Al – It’s been more than one year now. We are now calling 36% a good shooter from distance??? We just keep lowering the bar. If Devin Booker superstar is having such a great season with increased production, then why is Phoenix trending toward not even being a Play-In team??? Devin Booker elevates the play of NOBODY. Plenty of guys in the league dropping 88% of their Free Throws. 7 assists isn’t incredible for a guy with the ball in his hands. Let’s not forget just how checkered Devin Booker’s playoff resume is …. When teams he plays on actually get there anyway … Do you remember the playoff ultimate choke??? He made amends playing better, but had an epic choke! No longer in the “superstar” conversation. Good player for sure. That’s about it.
If the Suns really want to rebuild, they will have to trade Booker besides Durant and maybe use Beal as a throw in. That is the only way this franchise will be able to stockpile draft picks for the next 3 or 4 seasons. Booker has high value by most team’s ala Houston for example, Minnesota is interested in Durant, maybe the Suns can package a deal still for Beal in Miami. This team is going no where, no future just aged stars like Durant and Beal trying to make the franchise a shiny object for the owner to play with. Jerry Jones is a good comparison when you are talking about this owner of the Suns.
Barry,
Booker is absolutely a top 15 player by any standard. And he’s still in his prime. That’s the definition of a “franchise” player.
You’re right that Booker’s stock is down this year. But he was pushing the top 10 last year. And, he’s been consistent enough to believe he’ll be top 15 next year.
Again with the timing. So suspicious. Why are they doimg this? Someone bigger is pulling strings, mark my words
Care to elaborate?
Isbbia never gives quotes. And now with tariffs impacting construction prices, his mortgage business is poised to be impacted. Just weird that he’d pick now to make comments on Booker when he can’t even be traded until the offseason. Anyone can put 2 and 2 together. Does make you wonder if someone is in his ear.
> Does make you wonder if someone is in his ear.
It’s season ticket renewal time around the league. And you can bet existing Suns season ticket holders aren’t happy. That’s at least one audience for Ishbia’s statements, if not the main one.
Anybody that’s been a long-time season ticket holder in any pro sport knows what I’m talking about.
Wow, I could never afford a seasons worth of tickets. You silicon valley folks are built different
Lil D, hey! It’s not just Silicon Valley people that buy season tickets. There are 30 NBA teams and each has at least 10K season tickets.
It’s a big financial commitment, but less than it seems on the surface because you end up reselling most of the tickets online, paying for a fraction of the 41 home games in the end.
Booker is overrated… He’s on LaVine’s level…
Good offence but has consistency issues and bad defence… A good third option if you can get 2 bigger stars… Hence KD and Beal are Suns…
The Suns needed Okogie badly with Beal and Booker on the team…
Nothing wrong with keeping Booker. There are too many doomers here and on other sites. He is one of the best lead guards in the league who already has more than proven he can win if the team makes sense around him. They can’t move Beal because his contract situation, but KD will be dealt and will without a doubt fetch a pretty penny of picks and role players that hopefully will actually fit (not just a bunch of Wizards and Hornets scraps like what they have now). They will be a playoff team next year and Booker will be right back into All-NBA consideration.
I agree, he’s the face of the team and trading him would result in losing the fanbase like the Mavs did.
That said, I’m not sure the return for KD will be that large, given the current issues most teams are facing with the current CBA.
Ishbia has ruined this once promising team and now instead of facing facts he is delusional and thinks Oh no we are going to win a title with Devin Booker as our superstar la de da ….
Wake up, Booker isn’t a top 10 player and if he can’t do it paired with KD he won’t do it ever for you guys.
Houston wants Book and Holds all your future picks sweet.
Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks and Steven Adams along with your picks back in 27 and 29 plus 2 more future firsts.
Then do your best trading Kevin Durant for a similar young player and picks package.
It’s called a rebuild
Once Durant and beak are dumped, booker
Is gone. He’s a whiny baby who is now a bad shooter.