Getty Devin Booker guarding LeBron James.
Due to the fact that Devin Booker has played for a bad Phoenix Suns team, he doesn’t get a lot of hype compared to other star players. However, he’s a borderline superstar and is becoming one of the best scorers in the NBA. He’s averaged over 24 points a game in each of the last three seasons but barely made his first All-Star team in 2020.
Booker is coming into his own and is on the cusp of superstar status but the Suns might be holding him back. According to Ryen Russillo, the guard is already looking to make a change.
“The worst-kept secret in the league is Booker already wants out of there,” Russillo said on the Bill Simmons Podcast.
The Suns haven’t been to the playoffs since the 2009-10 season and have never won a championship in franchise history. They certainly aren’t one of the more glamourous franchises in the sport. If Bookers really does want out, he has next to no leverage.
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Booker Recently Signed Long-Term Deal
Whether or not it’s true that Booker wants out remains to be seen. If he really does, it’s probably not happening anytime soon. In 2018, the guard signed a contract extension that will keep him in Phoenix until 2024. The Suns aren’t going to give up their best player while they have him locked up for at least four more seasons.
It’s rare to see NBA players demand trades and then start sitting out games so that’s probably not on the table. There would be a lot of teams in the league that would love to add a player like Booker but he’s tied up for a while longer. That said, it sounds like he could try to get out of Phoenix when his contract gets closer to expiring.
Booker Could Take Over for LeBron in a Few Years
It’s no secret that LeBron James is getting up there in age and the Los Angeles Lakers are going to want to have a plan for when he eventually retires. Booker wouldn’t be a bad player to keep an eye on. He was seen wearing a Lakers shirt at a press conference during the NBA bubble. He said it was because Kobe Bryant was his favorite player but it’s still notable.
He’s also currently dating Kendall Jenner, which would be another reason he might want to move to Los Angeles. Should Booker become available in the next few years, he’s going to highly sought-after. He’s only getting better and could a full-fledged superstar by the time his contract ends with the Suns.
The Lakers have to be smart about how they transition from LeBron. After Kobe retired, the team was bad for years. If they’re lucky, Anthony Davis will stick around after LeBron retires so that could make them appealing to other stars. Keeping Davis happy is something the team needs to do. If they lose him, it’s going to be very difficult for them to attract a young star.
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