The Phoenix Suns may not want to think about it, but Devin Booker is the kind of star whose name will always live in trade chatter when the NBA starts spinning in unexpected directions.
That’s the reality Bleacher Report leaned into when it recently predicted Booker could be one of the next big names to ask out of Phoenix. The reasoning centered on a roster that, in its view, still doesn’t give Booker enough of a clear path forward.
“They have since spent smartly around the margins in free agency. They also burned an unprotected future first-round pick to acquire Miles Bridges, which...yikes.
“Phoenix was supposed to be past this level of problematic narrow-mindedness. The Bridges trade feels just like the Suns' previous pursuits of instant-gratification, only he doesn't have the accolades Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal possessed.
Is this really the way Booker wants his career to play out? If not, what could the Suns possibly be selling him in terms of a direction change?
Unless folks are super bullish on Jalen Green-a scoring specialist with a career 42.2/33.9/79.6 shooting slash-Booker doesn't even have a co-star candidate on this roster,” Bleacher Report wrote.
Booker remains the franchise guard who carried Phoenix to an NBA Finals appearance, and there’s no indication from the Suns that they’re eager to move him anytime soon. Still, the broader NBA landscape has made almost nothing feel impossible.
The tricky part for Phoenix is that a Booker deal might not bring back the kind of haul the team would once have expected. Multiple first-round picks could still be in play, but his value may not be at the same level it used to be. Even so, plenty of teams would line up if he became available.
For now, though, moving Booker would be a hard sell. Based on what’s in front of them, it would be a surprise if the Suns actually went there.
In Other News...
Summer League Could Expose Which Suns Prospects Are Actually Ready
The Suns head into 2026 Summer League with a roster that should tell them plenty about the next wave of their young talent. A mix of rookies and more seasoned prospects gives Phoenix a chance to sort through different stages of development, with first-rounders Peat and Maluach drawing the most attention and second-round picks Fleming and Brea also getting a real chance to show where they stand.
For a team trying to build out its future, this is the kind of setting that can separate long-term projects from players who are ready to push for a bigger role sooner rather than later. Peat, Maluach, Fleming and Brea all arrive with different expectations, and the Suns will be watching not just for production, but for the kind of progress that hints at how quickly each one can fit into the bigger picture. [Read more 🡒]
Miles Bridges Brings Another Off Court Cloud Over The Suns
Miles Bridges is back in the middle of an off-court legal dispute that has drawn fresh attention around the Suns, with the matter tied to custody arrangements and competing claims between Bridges and Mychelle. Earlier this year, Bridges was granted a temporary restraining order after alleging cyberstalking and harassment, adding another layer to a situation that has already spilled well beyond the basketball court.
Both sides have now filed legal documents accusing the other of misconduct in connection with those custody issues, keeping the case active and the details in motion. For Phoenix, it is another unwelcome distraction attached to a player whose off-court history has already made every new development a sensitive one, and the Suns have not commented on the situation. [Read more 🡒]
Suns Just Raised The Stakes For Khaman Maluach
The Suns used a lottery pick on Khaman Maluach last summer because they wanted to build around his size and long-term upside at center, and they have not backed away from that plan. Even so, the roster around him has made the path more crowded, with Mark Williams back in the fold and Oso Ighodaro still in place, which means Maluach is entering a season where development and opportunity will have to line up at the right time.
Brian Gregory has already made clear that Maluachs minutes will be determined by a mix of factors once the season begins, so nothing is being handed to him. For now, the next chance to make his case comes in Las Vegas, where Summer League gives him a stage to show the Suns why he should be more than a developmental piece in a rotation that already has some established names ahead of him. [Read more 🡒]