Individual awards mean nothing to a championship hungry team like the Phoenix Suns. However, they still carry a certain appeal, glimmering with different moxie and juice that even the Larry O’Brien somewhat lacks.
The MVP award most notably represents this, with it being the most prestigious honor for a singular NBA player to attain. Winning MVP remains a goal which most guys possess, but never admit to, likely in an attempt to appear as a selfless, team-focused, and “easy to root for” player.
As someone frequently compared to Kobe Bryant, the Laker legend who expressed only a desire for his team to win, Devin Booker stands out though as someone who likely means it more than the rest whenever he says that he “only wants to win a title.”
But despite this, he still might find himself floating around the MVP discussion during the 2021-22 season.
The last two MVPs were 25 years old, which Booker turns this October. Clearing coming into his prime, while supplied with a talented and competitive team to work around him, Booker checks all the boxes needed to chase down the award.
Although teammate Chris Paul more closely contended for it last year, Booker’s numbers stacked up relatively close to eventual MVP Nikola Jokic’s. While Jokic snatched way more rebounds and dished out more assistant than Booker, only 0.8 points per game separated the two from a scoring standpoint.
Standing so close, yet so far, Booker needs only to improve a few specific components within his game though to walk away with the MVP this time around.
Phoenix Suns Devin Booker Keys to Winning MVP: Improved 3-Point Shooting
Few players illustrate offense more beautifully than Booker, but the one flaw within his approach lies outside the 3-point arc.
Last year during the regular season, Booker hit from deep at a lackluster 34.0 percent rate. Things grew even worse during the postseason, where he shot just 32.1 percent. Although not totally inadequate, those numbers stray far off from MVP standards.
With exception to Giannis Antetokounmpo for obvious reasons, no player has shot lower than that and managed to MVP in the last decade.
Right now, the 3-point shot remains the most popular offensive option in the modern game. With that considered, Booker must increase his efficiency while shooting it, especially with scoring the basketball being his most primary function as a player.
More triples flying through the net not only leads to higher percentages for voters to look at when discussing Booker’s MVP validity, but also increased scoring numbers. Since 2008, only two MVPs averaged fewer points than Booker’s 25.6 per contest.
So if Booker improves his shooting from outside, he essentially kills two birds with one stone in regard to his MVP criteria.
Phoenix Suns Devin Booker Keys to Winning MVP: Doing More for Teammates
Most players who come right into the NBA as elite scorers typically evolve into facilitators as they their develop their careers. LeBron James comes to mind as a first example, but so does Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Kawhi Leonard.
For Booker to take the step and emerge as an MVP frontrunner though, he needs to accomplish exactly that next season.
Booker put up a decent, but non-MVP worthy 4.3 assists per game last year. He averaged over 6.0 per game during both seasons before that, showing a clear digression which he needs to reverse.
Chris Paul’s presence on the team as an all-time great passer almost certainly caused this, but either way, Booker needs to improve. Only four times since 2000 has a player won MVP while averaging fewer assists per game than Booker did last year.
Still as an all-league scorer, Booker frequently draws double teams, so if he looks to drive and kick more often, then he also sets himself up for easy assists whenever that second defender slides over. Keep in mind, Mikal Bridges and Jae Crowder still run out along the wing for Suns, who both remain deadeye shooters, certain to cash in on open looks should Booker find them.
Phoenix Suns Devin Booker Keys to Winning MVP: Continued Team Success
Even though the MVP remains an individual award, voters judge each candidate on their team’s success for it seemingly every year. Right or not, that’s just the how things are, so if Booker wants to bring home the hardware, he needs to make sure the Suns excel once again next season.
With Phoenix coming off a trip to the NBA Finals, that likely means staying as a top three Western Conference team at the very least.
The Suns loaded themselves up with new talent this offseason, while also bringing back Cameron Payne and Paul. However, several other Western Conference teams did the same, now posing a more significant threat.
Phoenix by no means enters the 2021-22 season as underdogs, but they need to keep an eye out primarily for Los Angeles Lakers, who just added Russell Westbrook. Additional teams welcoming back key players from injury, such as the Golden State Warriors and Denver Nuggets, also come together as serious challengers for the Suns.
But as long as Phoenix keep pace with all those squads, their season will still go viewed as a success, prompting Booker as a prime MVP candidate.