As it stands, the Phoenix Suns have yet to prove themselves as a Western Conference contender. After going 45-37 in 2025-26, they had ambitions of taking a step up in the Western Conference, only to start 4-6 this season.
As the Suns continue to struggle, star shooting guard Devin Booker’s future has been questioned, sparking countless rumors across the NBA. This week, however, league insider Michael Scotto provided the latest intel on the Suns, confirming their commitment to build around Booker for the foreseeable future.
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“From every indication I’ve gotten, the Phoenix Suns want to keep Devin Booker, and they want to make the team better around him,” said Michael Scotto. “From Devin Booker, every indication I’ve gotten is that he still wants to be a Sun for life, ideally. He did an extension recently with them, and he’s been the face of the franchise for a while now. For Phoenix right now, it’s about trying to make the team better around him.”
In the era of player empowerment, NBA teams have to try harder than ever to keep their stars, and the Suns are no exception. Since drafting shooting guard Devin Booker in 2015, they’ve tried to build around him, with varying degrees of success. As recently as 2021, they made the NBA Finals, but the Suns have been unable to replicate that formula after losing key stars like Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal.
This season, despite celebrated summer signings, the Suns are struggling to keep up with the top contenders. At 4-6, they are 11th in the Western Conference and considered underdogs to advance to the NBA playoffs. Despite this, the Suns remain committed to building around Booker, their leading star since 2015.
Drafted 13th overall, Booker has been the face of the Suns for years now, outlasting several star teammates, including Chris Paul and Kevin Durant. This season, through the first 10 games, Booker is averaging 25.1 points, 2.7 rebounds, 4.8 assists, and 1.0 steals on 48.3% shooting from the field. With those stats, Devin would net a valuable return in a trade, but the Suns aren’t ready to test the market, despite being 4-6.
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With team owner Mat Ishbia committed to immediate results, the Suns are more likely to make a win-now move around Booker than to trade him and start from scratch. Drafted 13th overall in 2015, Booker has been a reliable scorer for the Suns, averaging 24.6 points, 4.0 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 1.0 steal, and 0.3 blocks per game on 48.3% shooting.
The problem is, Phoenix has yet to meet expectations in the Booker era. Despite trying to stack the deck in their favor, the Suns have seen a sharp decline in the West, raising questions about Booker’s future. But with both the Suns and Booker himself set on continuing their partnership, there’s no question about what comes next for this team. At 11th in the West, the Suns are scrambling to improve their standing and keep Booker satisfied, but only time will tell how it pays off. At the very least, rival teams should know the Suns aren’t ready to blow it up and trade all their best assets before February’s deadline.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: Sports.yahoo.com
