You Know the NBA Season Is Back When Suns Star Devin Booker Is Under Fire

The Phoenix Suns again see their star player in headlines.

Sep 28, 2026; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (15) poses for a photo on Media Day at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

There's a few ways you can tell the NBA season is back.

Leaves begin to change colors. Temperatures slowly begin to drop down from the summer, and talking heads around the basketball world bring up Phoenix Suns star Devin Booker.

Booker, entering his 12th season, is no stranger to chatter or criticism. Such is life for one of the league's best shooting guards playing in an overlooked market with no championship ring.

There's even more added pressure when it comes to his contract, where he's set to make $57 million this season with that figure slowly climbing over the next few seasons. The last two years of his deal feature an extension where, at the time, Booker set records for the highest annual average ever on a two-year, $145 million reported deal.

The money is heavy, and so too are expectations. ESPN's Brian Windhorst became the latest talking head to mention Booker, saying, "Devin Booker is being paid like he’s a top 10 player, and he hasn’t been a top 10 player these last couple years.”

CBS Sports' Sam Quinn added to the conversation: "The max contract for the late-20s guards, especially at the supermax level, is becoming one of the more reliably terrifying contracts in the NBA. Booker. Fox. Trae Young. If Mitchell slips at all he falls in that camp. Even Reaves at the 25% max is a risk, albeit a lesser one."

The max contract for the late-20s guards, especially at the supermax level, is becoming one of the more reliably terrifying contracts in the NBA. Booker. Fox. Trae Young. If Mitchell slips at all he falls in that camp. Even Reaves at the 25% max is a risk, albeit a lesser one. https://t.co/eBuqC8rctV

— Sam Quinn (@SamQuinnCBS) October 9, 2026

Booker, admittedly so, was partly paid for his loyalty to the Suns. However, he spearheaded efforts to get Phoenix back into the postseason last year in one of the league's most surprising runs to the playoff.

He's a key part to the team — and city. The Suns know that, too.

“Devin Booker is everything that we want here in Phoenix as a leader, as the star player in the community, on the court, off the court,” Suns owner Mat Ishbia said at the end of last season.

“People don’t realize the gravity he brings to a basketball game. I can go through all (the) details, but the truth is, Devin Booker is a winner and he cares and does all the little things that maybe the normal eyes don’t see and catch.”

Booker and the rest of the Suns will again look to prove doubters wrong this coming season — and with his name again being brought up in national conversations (for the wrong reasons), we can officially welcome back basketball season.