Devin Booker: A superstar out of position once again for the Suns

Will Devin Booker once again pay the price?

The Phoenix Suns faced several roster construction challenges last season, one of the most notable being the absence of a traditional point guard. After moving on from Chris Paul, a future Hall of Famer, it marked the first time since the 2018-19 season that the team lacked a proven floor general.

The 2023-24 Suns stepped up to the craps table, put their chips on the pass line, and tossed the bones down the felt. While we hoped for a seven, we ended up with snake eyes, and everyone around the table inhaled the feeling of disappointment. That team won as many postseason games as the 2018-19 team. 0.

Without a traditional point guard, Devin Booker ended up playing 91% of his possessions as the distributor, per Basketball-Reference. Bradley Beal, who the Suns acquired and who the team said would play point, spent just 2% of his possessions at the one. Devin Booker sacrificed of himself for the betterment of the team. Though his natural talent lies in playing shooting guard, he stepped up when his team needed him, taking on significant minutes as the primary distributor.

Whew! Aren’t we glad that season is behind us?

James Jones and the Phoenix Suns prioritized adding distributors to the roster this offseason, acquiring both Tyus Jones and Monte Morris. Along with boosting playmaking, they brought in players known for being careful with the ball, each boasting high assist-to-turnover ratios.

Well, that solves that! Devin Booker will return to his shooting guard position and become one of the league’s best shooting guards!

Oh, wait. Bradley is still on this roster, isn’t he? Crud.

That’s right. The Suns are in another roster dilemma after acquiring Bradley Beal last season. Despite plans for Beal to play point guard in 2023-24, he ended up at shooting guard. This season, Tyus Jones is expected to start at point guard. So, where does that leave Booker? Not at the two. With the smaller Beal at shooting guard, Booker is likely to shift to small forward.

It’s not that Booker can’t play the small forward position. We just witnessed his ability to do so on the international stage at the 2024 Paris Olympics. He was the unsung hero of that team, doing all the little things right that helped equate to a gold medal run for the United States.

But back here in the ‘ole US of A, Booker is not an ancillary player on a team full of superstars. He is a player in his prime, turning 28 in October, and coming off of an All-NBA selection and an All-Star appearance.

And for the second consecutive season, will be playing out of position.

Booker won’t say much. He’ll put his head down and handle his business, because he’s a professional, and because he loves this team, the organization, the city, and its fans. He’ll do whatever it takes to win. He wanted superstars to join him, and they did. Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal are now here. Yet, he’s the one making the sacrifices.

It might not be the best strategy, however, to have prime superstar playing out of position. Again.

One of the key challenges for Booker at small forward is on the defensive end. Though officially listed at 6’6”, he’s more likely around 6’5”, which might not seem significant, but at the NBA level, those extra inches can make a world of difference. He’ll be up against opponents who not only have more height but also carry more muscle mass, forcing him to expend extra energy just to hold his ground. The wear and tear of trying to guard physically larger players every night can add up, potentially impacting his endurance and effectiveness on both ends of the floor.

The mental strain of consistently defending out of position, especially against some of the league’s most elite wings, is also something that shouldn’t be overlooked. Over time, this shift could take a toll on his overall performance, even if he continues to give everything for the team.

Offensively, he still has the chance to excel. With a true point guard on the team, the ball will be out of his hands more often, freeing him up to focus on what he does best: coming off screens, taking dribble handoffs, finding his spots, and hitting jumpers.

Defenses will still gameplan around him. Think of the archetype that has proven effective at slowing him down. Like Matisse Thybulle or Jaden McDaniels in last year’s postseason. Long, athletic wings like them will likely be assigned to guard him, depending on defensive schemes and matchups.

Positionless, schmosmissionless. Physicality on offense. And, given that he will be playing the three, physicality on defense.

If anyone can still succeed while playing out of position, it’s Devin Booker. We witnessed that last season. 27.1 points per game and a career-high 6.9 (giggity) assists. If anyone can do it, it’s D Book. It’s just not the preferable way to construct your team.

These years of Booker’s prime are a unique and special time. The team should do everything possible to surround him with talent (check) that allows him to be the best version of himself (box unchecked). The seasons drop off the calendar quickly, and we don’t want to look back and wonder what the team could’ve done to better maximize the results in this window.

Because if we do, playing Booker out of position may be at the top of the list.