Suns Urged to Trade Devin Booker

The Phoenix Suns' only option left is to hit the reset button in a massive way.

Apr 8, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) reacts against the Golden State Warriors during the second half at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

PHOENIX -- After the Phoenix Suns' postseason hopes were officially put to rest earlier in the week, discussions about the future and what should/could take place are fully underway.

The Suns' star experiement of Devin Booker, Bradley Beal and Kevin Durant has been nothing short of one of this city's greatest sporting failures, and with so many questions regarding the overall direction of the franchise, The Athletic says the Suns must swallow a tough pill and completely start over.

Which includes trading Booker, according to John Hollinger.

"If I could boil down one thing that separates winners from suckers in the NBA, that’s it. The winners have it, and they prey on the chumps who don’t over and over again. The Phoenix Suns are just the latest, and most extreme, in a long line of examples, and it’s left them in a position where moving the franchise’s all-time leading scorer is about the only card left to play," Hollinger wrote before briefly diving into why Durant needs to be dealt.

He then continued, "That takes us to the next biggest name on the list: Booker. He loves the Valley, and the Valley loves him. But he’ll be 29 on opening day next season and has three years left on his deal. His trade value will never be higher, and at this point, he’d likely bring back more in a trade than Durant would.

"What’s the alternative? Doing the Damian Lillard Special and winning 30 games with Booker next year while waiting for him to demand a trade out of a hopeless situation? And what if he either gets injured or starts showing signs of decline, and rivals blanch at paying him $171 million over the next three years? At this point, I’d argue keeping him is far riskier than trading him."

The Suns have been fairly adamant Booker is not going anywhere, and rightfully so.

Despite Hollinger's pleas, Phoenix simply can't afford to hit the rest button with Booker still in his prime. Booker - more than anything - deserves to find success in the city he's molded into his.

If he wanted out, Booker could snap his fingers and the organization would make something work - but that's not reality - at least not right now.