Mat Ishbia didn’t leave much room for interpretation when a fan asked about a Devin Booker trade to Detroit.
The Suns owner was in a recent Q&A with fans when a Pistons supporter floated the idea of bringing Booker home to Michigan. Ishbia, who was born in Birmingham, didn’t soften his response.
Pistons fan: “Can you trade Devin Booker to the Pistons? Do it for the love, you’re from here, c’mon.”
Mat Ishbia: “When I’m dead. Devin Booker will never be a Detroit Piston. I am from here [Michigan], and I don’t care about the Pistons at all.”
The exchange underscored just how central Booker remains to everything Ishbia is trying to build in Phoenix. Since taking over the Suns a little over three years ago, Ishbia has already watched a long list of key pieces move on, including Mikal Bridges, Chris Paul, Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal. Booker, though, is the one player he’s made it clear is staying put.
That’s why the question landed the way it did. Ishbia, despite living full-time in Phoenix and owning the Suns, still has Michigan roots, and that gave the fan base reason to test him on one of the league’s biggest names. But if there was ever any doubt about where Ishbia stands on Booker, he erased it.
Booker has been the lone constant through Ishbia’s tenure, and the Suns owner sees him as the foundation for any real shot at contention. Drafted 13th overall in 2015, Booker quickly became the face of the franchise and helped turn Phoenix from a nonfactor into a team with real Western Conference ambitions.
Over the last 11 seasons, Booker has averaged 24.6 points, 4.0 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 0.8 steals and 0.3 blocks per game while shooting 45.6%. At 29, he’s no longer the young prospect he once was, but he’s still in his physical and athletic prime.
For Detroit, the appeal is obvious. Even with Cade Cunningham, the Pistons are dealing with uncertainty around Jalen Duren’s stalled negotiations and future extension talks for Ausar Thompson, not to mention the loss of Tobias Harris after his role in last season’s East-leading run. Adding Booker would instantly change the ceiling, giving the Pistons two offensive stars who can take over when it matters most.
But Ishbia’s message was as direct as it gets: Booker isn’t going anywhere. He’s tied to the Suns for the long haul, and Ishbia is banking on building the right roster around him.
Phoenix may not be there yet, especially with teams like the Thunder and Spurs setting the pace, but the Suns owner still believes a path to contention exists. With the right moves and some health luck, he’s hoping Booker is the centerpiece when Phoenix finally makes its push for the Larry O’Brien trophy.
In Other News...
Suns Just Turned Devin Booker Criticism Into A Public Statement
A recent podcast take on Devin Booker quickly spilled beyond the usual noise cycle, and the Suns made sure it did not hang in the air unanswered. On Players Choice, Suns Valley Podcast co-host Gabe Guerrero questioned whether Bookers game impacts winning enough to carry a team to a championship, and the reaction from within Phoenix was immediate. The Suns own social media team followed by highlighting Bookers playmaking, a clear nod to the value he brings beyond scoring.
Collin Gillespie also chimed in by reposting the clip in support of Booker, giving the pushback a little extra weight from inside the locker room orbit. Guerrero later offered a clarification on his comments, saying he was talking about Booker in the context of playing point guard, even though that framing was not explicit in the original segment. For a player whose role keeps expanding, it turned a debate about style into a broader reminder of how closely Phoenix is watching the conversation around its star. [Read more 🡒]
Suns Season May Ride On 3 Young Names Fans Are Overlooking
A quieter storyline around the Suns this offseason has centered on three young players who could end up shaping the rotation more than casual fans realize. Fleming is in position to see a larger workload, Goodwin has already shown he can bring useful defense when healthy, and Maluach is viewed as a center whose development could matter if Phoenix needs more size and steadiness up front.
The appeal here is that none of the three needs to become a headline-grabbing star for the Suns to get value out of them. Flemings path opens after the departures on the wing, Goodwin is working back from an injury that cut short his postseason minutes, and Maluachs upside at center gives Phoenix another long-term variable to watch as the season unfolds. [Read more 🡒]
Suns Fans Know The Center Gamble Miami May Be Making
Nick Richards latest workout has put a familiar name back in the center conversation, this time in Miami, where the Heat are sorting through a shallow group of big men. Richards, who most recently appeared with the Chicago Bulls, spent time starting for Phoenix and gave the Suns a look at a position that needed stability, even if the fit never quite felt ideal.
For Suns fans, the optics are easy to read because the team moved on by trading for Mark Williams as a clear upgrade in the middle. Miami is now weighing whether Richards can fill a similar gap, but the question hanging over the situation is the same one Phoenix already answered in its own way. [Read more 🡒]