Top Phoenix Suns storylines to watch for this season

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PHOENIX, AZ -DECEMBER 26: Devin Booker #1 of the Phoenix Suns handles the ball against James Ennis III #8 of the Memphis Grizzlies on December 26, 2017 at Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix, Arizona. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Michael Gonzales/NBAE via Getty Images) /

2. Booker making a leap into stardom

While most Phoenix Suns fans already view Devin Booker as a star, it is hard for the national audience to do the same while he puts up great stats on a terrible team. He has never truly been put in the situation to succeed – not personally but on a team – and this will be the first time we get to see Booker in the setting of a team designed to try and legitimately compete.

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Phoenix Suns

Defense is the first step. It is easy to discredit his offense by pointing to his defensive numbers as some of the worst in the league.

That said, it is unreasonable to expect Booker to become a lockdown defender, but simply being average on that end will be huge.

The team has improved defensively over the last year with additions of Jackson, Bridges, Trevor Ariza, and Davon Reed, but those additions get minimized if the opposing team is able to attack and exploit Booker with the rest of the team forced to make up for those deficiencies.

Booker establishing himself as a star opens the possibility for Phoenix to seriously pursue top free agents next summer. As he trains with Team USA and develops relationships with the best in the Association, Booker can use his influence to recruit stars to play with him.

The Phoenix Suns have lacked that sort of attraction for prospective free agents in the past, and Booker becoming a true star could be the fix to that.

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