Devin Booker isn’t wavering from the mission that has followed him throughout his Phoenix Suns career: bring a championship to the city that drafted him.
Since arriving in 2015, Booker has grown into the Suns’ franchise centerpiece and one of the NBA’s longest-tenured players with a single team. Only Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and Joel Embiid have spent more years with one organization. Through all of it, Booker has stayed put, and the reason remains the same - he wants to finish the job in Phoenix.
He got closer than ever in 2021, when the Suns pushed all the way to the NBA Finals before falling to the Milwaukee Bucks in six games, two wins short of a title. That run stands as the high-water mark of Booker’s time in Phoenix, and the closest he’s come to turning that long pursuit into a parade.
Booker has long since established himself as one of the best shooting guards of his generation. He’s a polished scorer, but his game has expanded beyond putting up points.
He’s become a more complete playmaker and a stronger leader for the Suns. Even so, individual growth hasn’t yet translated into the championship breakthrough he’s chasing.
The 2020-21 season was the best stretch Booker has had in Phoenix, helped by a strong supporting cast that included Chris Paul, Mikal Bridges, and an in-form Deandre Ayton. Since then, the Suns haven’t climbed back to that level, even after adding Kevin Durant.
With Booker and the Suns now viewed as a middle-of-the-road team, the path to a title looks distant. That reality has only fueled the familiar speculation that Booker could eventually want out. But his own words point in the opposite direction.
"That’s my everyday pursuit, to bring one home here… I know what it’d mean to this city, I know what it’d mean to everyone around here. It’s my responsibility to get that done," Booker said about his goal to win in Phoenix via Arizona Family Sports.
There’s still a long climb ahead, and the Suns would need things to break right, especially in the 2026-27 NBA season. But Booker’s commitment hasn’t changed. If he keeps playing at the level he’s shown in recent years, Phoenix still has a chance to make noise.
In Other News...
Duop Reath Is Giving The Suns A Tough Roster Decision
The Suns have spent preseason showing off more than just their stars, and one of the quieter developments has been the play of Duop Reath. Signed to a training camp deal, the third-string center has fit into a bench group that already looks deeper than expected, giving Phoenix something it can never quite have enough of: another capable big man who can hold his own while the regulars rest.
Reaths performance has also put the front office in an awkwardly familiar spot, because a strong camp can turn a low-cost addition into a roster debate. He could be a candidate for the final roster or a two-way contract, and the Suns will have to decide whether his value in Phoenix outweighs what he might have meant elsewhere, especially with other teams around the league dealing with their own frontcourt losses. [Read more 🡒]
Ryan Dunn Has A Real Suns Opening But One Problem Remains
Ryan Dunn has gotten an early look in the Suns preseason rotation, and that alone says plenty about where the team sees his opportunity right now. In the first two preseason games, he has been the preferred option over Rasheer Fleming in the early substitution pattern, checking in during the first quarter while head coach Jordan Ott takes a closer look at how Dunn might grow into a bench role built around defense and complementary shooting.
The appeal is clear: Dunns defensive ability has already stood out, and the Suns are evaluating whether he can become the kind of three-and-D piece that fits alongside the teams shooters. The lingering issue is just as clear, though, because his three-point shot has not yet taken the kind of preseason step the Suns need to see, which leaves Fleming as a possible alternative if Dunn does not separate himself. [Read more 🡒]
Suns Face One Huge Early Question Around Jalen Green And Booker
Devin Booker is already the obvious center of gravity for Phoenix, but the conversation around him this summer has shifted from simple star status to usage. Bill Simmons and Rob Mahoney of The Ringer pointed to Booker as the Suns player to watch entering the season, noting his stated desire to shoot more and just enjoy the game. For a team trying to find its footing around him, that is not a small detail.
Jalen Green adds another layer to the equation. As the Suns second-highest-paid player, he is expected to have a major say in how cleanly Booker can get to his spots and how much pressure the offense can put on defenses. The intrigue for Phoenix is not just whether Booker can handle a bigger scoring load, but how the rest of the roster, Green included, helps make that possible. [Read more 🡒]