Every day, we’ll take a closer look at another member of the 2026-27 Phoenix Suns, examining what they bring to the roster and what their role could mean for the season ahead as we count down to training camp and the preseason.
Devin Booker
Shooting Guard, 6’5”, 206 lbs., 29 years old, 11 years of experience
Happy Media Day, folks!
Devin Booker has lived many lives during his Suns career. From a wide-eyed rookie absorbing everything he could from his “vets” to a grizzled veteran giving the next generation advice
as they look to pave their own way. Oh, and he’s wearing number 15 now. Remember that? It’s been a long offseason.
He is still in his twenties somehow, but not for long. The Suns’ star turns 30 on October 30th, when the Suns are set to host the Denver Nuggets in their 4th game of the season.
We all know by now that Devin Booker is the Suns’ offensive engine. They go as he goes. He has been consistently one of the best scorers in the NBA, and quietly one of the most underrated playmakers.
Last Season
Devin Booker earned his 5th All-Star appearance of his career last season. Phoenix exceeded expectations as a team by a wide margin and secured themselves a ticket to the NBA Playoffs. Ultimately, Booker and company got swept by the Thunder, but they left the season with a reason for optimism.
Devin Booker has eight straight seasons averaging 25+ PPG, putting him in some historically elite company with the likes of LeBron, Giannis, and his former teammate Kevin Durant as the only active players with longer streaks throughout their careers.
Contract and Roster Context
This is where the discourse will get interesting as the years go by. Devin Booker is making a lot of money, and he is going to make a whole lot more in the years to come. He will be one of the top-paid players in the association, and with that comes increased expectations and responsibilities.
Devin Booker originally signed a 4-year, $220,441,984 contract with the Phoenix Suns, all guaranteed, with an average annual salary of $55,110,496. In 2026-27, Booker will earn a base salary of $57,078,728, while carrying a cap hit of $57,078,728.
Booker signed a 2-year, $132,594,000 contract with the Phoenix Suns last summer, including $132,594,000 guaranteed, and an average annual salary of $66,297,000, per Spotrac.
What He Brings
Devin Booker’s offensive gravity is easy to take for granted. Not just his ability to get a bucket in tight quarters, but his ability to draw the defense, make quick reads, and give his teammates a chance to capitalize.
Collapsing a defense and demanding attention oftentimes has a ripple effect that can go unnoticed on the box score. Luckily, there are other ways to track playmaking, driving, and potential assists created, as Shane Young notes in the tweet linked below.
His playmaking continues to be undersold in discourse when it comes to the top playmakers in the association. The gravity he possesses, along with the fortitude to make the right play when he’s being targeted relentlessly by defenses, needs to be talked about more.
Phoenix needs a lot from Devin Booker. That comes with the territory of his massive contract. He must be a leader. He must take over games when needed. He must make others around him better and find creative ways to get them involved.
The Phoenix Suns need him to play like a superstar more than he plays like a star. That means showing up every night.
What Needs to Improve
By now, it’s obvious that Devin Booker has a few flaws. We all know by now that the opposing defense will game plan to slow him down in any way they can. Sending another body his way. Putting an aggressive point-of-attack defender on him.
At times, he can make what looks like careless turnovers against smaller guards with quick hands like the Jrue Holidays and Alex Carusos of the world. That’s just what those guys do. He can struggle to get his shot off against longer, more athletic defenders like Jaden McDaniels, for example. He also seems to struggle against Orlando, with their big wings and forwards thrown at him every possession. Cutting down on some of the unnecessary turnovers would be item number one to focus on. Number two would be a modest increase in 3PT%. And lastly, continued consistency in his defensive intensity. And a bonus take… if the jumper isn’t falling, attack the rim with more frequency. Downhill Book is a threat as a scorer and playmaker.
The defensive questions he faced earlier in his career have dissipated over time as well, as he’s proven to be a feisty one-on-one defender and smart team defender. The run with Team USA woke some people up to that, but his defensive growth was brewing long before that for those who paid attention. He will never be on an All-Defensive team, but he is solid. And when he turns it up a notch, he can be an impactful defender.
He and the rest of the league know who he is at this point. The question is… does he have another gear to showcase?
Prediction
This could be the best year possible for Devin Booker to take a stealthy leap. He is sort of flying under the radar on the national scale. Dillon Brooks draws the “villain” role and allows Booker to focus more on the game, whereas in the past there were times that Booker felt he needed to fill that role while also being the franchise player.
I’m excited to see how he leads this group. They have youth, athleticism, rim pressure, and a bit more continuity as a group. The lack of playmaking and floor spacing can be solved with the right offensive game plan and rotations. Good luck figuring that out, Jordan Ott!
Devin Booker dropped four spots (from a year ago) to the 20th-ranked player in the NBA, according to ESPN. I predict that they will need to correct that and place him back into the top-15 after a “late-career” breakout. But as noted, a breakout season for Booker doesn’t look like a ton of more points scored. It’s improved efficiency, continuing to improve his already elite playmaking, and serving as the engine for a Suns team that overachieves for a second straight season.
Stat Prediction: 70 Games, 26.6 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 6.6 APG, 47/35/88 shooting
Final Word
A successful season for Devin Booker is mostly predicated on team success. Yes, his individual numbers matter, but as we all know, if he’s finding ways to impact the game, the stats will come.
Could this be Devin Booker’s best season yet?
