Devin Booker officially signs a five-year, $158 million deal
By Adam Maynes
Long awaited and finally here, Devin Booker and the Phoenix Suns have officially agreed to a five-year, $158 million max contract extension, making him the richest Phoenix Sun in franchise history.
When the 2018 offseason began, one objective was the single-minded priority of the Phoenix Suns, signing their growing superstar Devin Booker to a max contract extension.
On the evening of July 7, 2018, it was officially announced that they had, five-years, and $158 million, a $31.6 million a year average salary. His yearly salaries, beginning at 25% of the team’s salary cap allotment in 2019-20, including an 8% raise after each season, are expected to be:
2019-20 – $27.2 million
2020-21 – $29.4 million
2021-22 – $31.6 million
2022-23 – $33.7 million
2023-24 – $35.9 million
No word yet on if Booker got an option before the fifth year of the deal or not.
The max contract extension does not take effect until the 2019-20 season because he still has one season left on his rookie deal, which will pay him $3,314,365 this season. After that Booker will receive an approximate 800% raise, the wealthiest Phoenix Sun in history.
With this signing, not only do the Phoenix Suns lock up the face of the franchise while still only 21-years-old, but at least one piece of the future of the franchise has become clearer, now that we know that he is expected to be around through at least the 2023-24 season.
Speculated to be accepted sometime following the start of the league season on Friday July 7, interestingly enough, in an interview during the Phoenix Suns and Sacramento Kings’ Summer League game on Saturday, Kentucky Head Coach John Calipari mentioned that Booker had agreed to a contract extension, a fact that Suns Owner Robert Sarver denied in a question to AZ Republic beat writer Scott Bordow.
Robert Sarver just told me Calipari’s comment about Booker deal was erroneous
— scott bordow (@sbordow) July 8, 2018
There is no doubt that Booker deserved this max contract extension as he has not only grown to be the best player on the Suns in only his third season, but he has improved his scoring output each season of his career, averaging 24.9 points per game last season – the second most by a guard under the age of 21, behind only Michel Jordan who averaged 28.2. He set a franchise record for most points in a game with 70 in 2016 – the youngest player in NBA history with at least 60 points in a game at the age of 20 years and 145 days. He is the third youngest player to ever reach 4,000 points in a career, behind only LeBron James and Kevin Durant, and he won the 2018 NBA 3-point shooting contest, after finishing third in 2017.
Next: Five takeaways from the Suns' 71-63 Summer League victory over the Kings
Booker’s position as the face of a young and growing franchise should hopefully now make Phoenix more of a destination city for veterans, players who not only want to play with star talent who they know will be around for a while, but for a winning franchise.
The Suns of course still have a long way to go to become a playoff team and championship contender, however there is no doubt that making sure that Devin Booker is a part of the rebuild going forward, will help talented veterans choose Phoenix when they have the opportunity.