Devin Booker has been the cornerstone of the Phoenix Suns franchise since they drafted him in 2013.
Since he has been with the team, they have gone from languishing in the bottom of the Western Conference standings to reaching the NBA Finals in 2021.
Their development has been pushed back a few years after some mismanagement in the front office, but Devin Booker has been patient through it all.
He recently even signed a two-year $145 million extension with the Phoenix Suns, which shows that Booker is committed to the team.
His loyalty to the city of Phoenix has helped him earn a lot of praise from the NBA community, with Damian Lillard being the latest to give his flowers to Booker.
Damian Lillard returned to the Portland Trail Blazers after a two-year stint with the Milwaukee Bucks.
He was waived by the 2021 champions and there were teams like the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics interested in acquiring his services, but Lillard decided to move to the team that drafted him.
Lillard was at the Formula Zero 2025 Elite Camp where he was asked about his thoughts on Booker and his loyalty to the Suns.
The nine-time All-Star said: “When I think of loyalty, I think of being true to who you are not as much as being loyal to a specific thing or organization.
“He is standing on his square about what he wants to accomplish and not everybody else is doing, what he thinks is the right thing. He’s standing on what he wants to do and who he is, and I think that’s the most important thing.”
Last season the Suns had a lot of problems with the fit of their three stars Booker, Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal. But with Durant and Beal now gone, it is Booker who is going to run the show in Phoenix.
He now has the likes of Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks– both valuable NBA players- to help him out in leading the way for the franchise.
The center position was also a big question mark for the Suns last season, but with the addition of players like Mark Williams, Nick Richards and rookie Khaman Maluach, the Suns now have good depth there.
After adding a few players that fit the roster, the Suns appear to be in a better position than last season, but they still need a point guard to compete.
It is unlikely they trade for a big player, which is why Booker might have to play as their primary playmaker.
He averaged a career-high 7.1 assists last season, which shows Booker can play as the point guard, but if the Suns want to get the most out of him, they will have to bring another player to play that position.
| Season | Assists |
| 2024-25 | 7.1 |
| 2023-24 | 6.9 |
| 2022-23 | 5.5 |
The four-time All-Star had his most successful season with Chris Paul as a point guard next to him. Not only was he brilliant in the regular season, Booker even stepped up in the playoffs as he had CP3 to rely on to handle the ball.
Next season there could be an array of point guards who will be free agents, including Trae Young, which the Suns should take advantage of by adding to their roster.
