Fixing the Phoenix Suns: Why trading Devin Booker won’t bring the Suns what they actually need

Point: Do not trade Devin Booker.

Welcome to the How to Fix the Suns series, where we break down the paths available to the Phoenix Suns as they navigate the 2025 offseason.

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The series continues. It feels like we’ll be spending the entire summer trying to fix this team, doesn’t it? The Phoenix Suns find themselves at a crossroads, and while every offseason invites debate about the organization’s direction, the players, and the assets at hand, this year feels different.

I believe most of the fan base would reject the thought of trading Devin Booker, but we’ll test that with a poll later this week. Still, never before has the possibility of it becoming a reality felt more tangible. The Suns are in dire straits, and that means every option—no matter how uncomfortable—must be on the table.

Yesterday, we dug into the reasons why trading Devin Booker could make sense. Today, we turn the page and explore the counterpoint: the case for why you shouldn’t, and can’t, trade your franchise player.

Let’s dive in.

The Return

Yes, Devin Booker is undoubtedly the Suns’ most valuable asset right now when it comes to potential return. If the Suns were to trade him, they’d likely receive a mix of players and draft picks that could aid in the rebuilding of the franchise’s foundation.

But here’s the question: would the return really be that great? Particularly when it comes to draft picks?

The team most likely to trade for Booker is one in win-now mode, a team that sees Booker as a key piece of their championship aspirations moving forward. However, that team would likely hold the same philosophy as the Suns had when they traded for Kevin Durant in 2023: draft picks, while valuable in theory, often don’t have as much impact as people think. These picks would likely end up at the tail end of the first round, not in the lottery where franchise-changing players are typically found.

In other words, would trading Booker really provide the kind of foundational shift the Suns need, or would it just result in more uncertainty with no guarantee of long-term benefit?

Devin Booker is undeniably in his prime, and that’s exactly why trading him for draft picks over the next 5 to 7 years raises so many questions. There’s a significant chance those picks won’t be lottery picks, but instead, fall further down the first round, leaving the Suns with limited upside in terms of future talent. Essentially, the trade becomes a gamble on the players the Suns would receive in return. A gamble that the players could become building blocks for the future, much like Booker once was.

The reality is that if the Suns are really looking to build through the draft, acquiring a top-five pick should be seen as nearly essential. Without that kind of pick, it’s tough to acquire the kind of franchise-altering talent that can really change the trajectory of the team. The truth is, trading Booker would most likely only secure picks that fall short of that goal.

And as much as fans might dream of trading with Houston to get those coveted picks back, it’s highly unlikely. Why would Houston, or any team, trade those picks back to the Suns when the entire league is fully aware that Phoenix is currently in a period of turmoil? Houston, along with other teams, stands to benefit the most from the Suns’ current disarray.

You Have Booker in His Prime

This is the very case Mat Ishbia has made, and it’s one of the key reasons why trading Devin Booker is probably not in the cards for the Suns. The main goal when constructing a competitive roster is to secure an All-Star-level player who can anchor your team and serve as the foundational piece for years to come. And the Suns already have that in Devin Booker. He’s in his prime and is everything you want in a player who can lead a franchise forward.

Trading Booker would essentially reset the clock on the Suns’ ability to have that caliber of talent at the helm, and it would remove the one player they can rely on as a constant in a league full of uncertainty. Yes, Booker has his flaws—every player in the NBA does. Just check Reddit during a game and you’ll see fans bickering about their star players’ shortcomings. No one is flawless, but that doesn’t diminish the value of what Booker brings to the team.

I believe that what @ParadoxicalJoel said on Twitter the other day:

I couldn’t agree more. Having an All-Star surrounded by role players is far more valuable than a collection of role players with no star. A true star like Booker gives the team a sense of direction and purpose, something you can build around. I’m done relying on hope and hype to get me through the season. An All-Star isn’t just a piece—it’s the cornerstone of your future. With Booker in his prime, moving off him would be a mistake, no matter the potential return.

I admit, my perspective is a bit biased. After all, I write about this team constantly and host post-game podcasts after each game. But I don’t want to endure a long period of uncertainty, trying to figure out who the next All-Star will be, drafting, developing, only to watch them fall short. We have Booker now, in his prime. You don’t give that up, hoping to somehow replicate what you already have. The chance to build around a player like him doesn’t come often.

Loyalty Matters

I understand that the goal of these thought exercises is to set emotion aside and use logic as a guiding force in decision-making. However, there’s an undeniable truth that loyalty holds weight.

Part of me believes that sometimes, the heart of an organization isn’t just found in the trades or the quick moves, but in appreciating what a player represents to the team, to the city, and to the community. Devin Booker has been a pillar for Phoenix, not only on the court but as a symbol of what the franchise has become. His impact reaches far beyond basketball, and that deserves recognition.

In a world of constant wheeling and dealing, it’s worth remembering that loyalty has its place, and Booker’s significance to Phoenix should be honored.

I see it through this lens, and I’ll be the first to admit, it’s an imperfect way to view things, because we’ll never know what the other side of the decision might have brought. But let’s frame it like this: if you knew, with absolute certainty, that the next seven years wouldn’t result in a championship no matter what moves you made—and that’s a reasonable scenario given that only one team lifts the trophy each year—would you rather experience those years with Devin Booker or without him?

It’s an impossible question, isn’t it? But when I look through that fractured, sobering lens, knowing that the road ahead will be steep and unforgiving, I’d choose loyalty. I’d choose the chance to say I watched the greatest Phoenix Sun of all time wear the same jersey from start to finish. I’d rather be part of a story that values heart, community, and identity in a league often consumed by transactions.

Yes, it’s emotional. Yes, it tugs at the heartstrings. Yes, I know many will dismiss that. The logical endpoint is always a title. But I can vividly see a future where, seven years from now, the Suns haven’t won a championship, and Booker’s gone. And if I’m sitting down to write an “I Told You So” piece in that moment…it won’t be one I’ll take any joy in crafting.

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And there it is. The counterpoint. The case for why you don’t trade Devin Booker. Yes, this one’s hard to navigate. Logic should always be our guide, but emotion has a way of slipping through the cracks when a player means this much to a city, to a fan base, to a franchise’s identity.

So now, I turn it to you. What’s your move? Do you hold onto Booker, and if so, why? Is it loyalty, legacy, belief in his ability to anchor this team through whatever storm comes next? Or do you see a different path forward? Drop your thoughts below.

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