Like all teams right now, the Phoenix Suns currently await the 2021-22 NBA season‘s opening night like a bunch of giddy kids before their first day of school. But even during this “calm before the storm,” the wheels of debate and argument have already begun spinning.
Yesterday, NBA.com released its results from a poll asking all NBA general managers about their predictions for the upcoming season and to rank different players at their respective positions. A few highlights included 72.0 percent of NBA GMs picking the Brooklyn Nets to win the 2022 NBA Finals, and 43.0 percent of NBA GMs picking Luka Doncic as their ideal player to start a franchise with today.
But when asked specifically about the shooting guard spot, league GMs expressed substantial respect for Devin Booker, with 17.0 percent of them naming him as the NBA’s best shooting guard. That percent reflected the second most votes, trailing only James Harden who attained 63.0 percent. It also put him above acclaimed off guards like Bradley Beal and Luka Doncic.
Last year, Booker put together another impressive campaign. He averaged 25.6 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game, while shooting 48.4 percent from the field.
But Booker turned it up even further during the postseason, averaging 27.3 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game. He also added four 40+ point games, allowing him to eventually put up the most points ever by a player during their first postseason stint. Finally with some meaningful games to play in, Booker absolutely took advantage, educating the world about his extensive talents and proving himself as a true superstar.
For Suns fans though, Booker’s stellar play came as no surprise. Although they certainly enjoyed it, they did not need to attend this additional lesson on his greatness, having watched him torch teams for seven straight years, with very few chinks in his armor.
However, Harden’s placement above Booker does warrant a few question marks, not with regard to Harden’s nomination as a better player than Booker, but with his stance as a shooting guard.
Last year, the Nets frequently referred to Harden as a point guard rather than a shooting guard. Even Kyrie Irving, the team’s traditional point guard, called Harden “the point guard” last season shortly after they acquired him via trade.
So by those terms, Devin Booker consequently league’s best shooting guard based off this poll’s results. That must feel exciting for Suns fans, their front office, and Booker himself—who wrongfully needed to scratch and claw his way into the All-Star game last year.
With the NBA growing more positionless every day and with Harden having indeed started his career as a true shooting guard, this ideology indeed still feels like a stretch. But regardless, NBA GMs finally know that Booker, at the very least, stacks up with the league’s best with regard to the two guard spot.