Can Phoenix Suns’ Devin Booker make a scoring leap next season?

Devin Booker came into the NBA as a sharpshooter, maintaining that reputation throughout his career with the Phoenix Suns.

While his three-point percentage had been understating his ability for several years, last season Devin Booker showcased his true perimeter talents for the Phoenix Suns.

Booker shot 38.3% from deep on seven attempts per game, which included a solid 35.7% on pull-ups and an elite 43.6% on catch-and-shoot looks. Basketball Index grades his three-point shot making and perimeter shooting (calculated based on conversion rate as well as difficulty of shots) in the 96th and 97th percentile respectively, earning him an A+ in that department.

But Booker’s best zone as a shooter isn’t even beyond the arc – it’s in the midrange. The midrange shot has been described as a ‘dying art’ in the modern NBA, but Booker has excelled at it.

DeMar DeRozan and Devin Booker(Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)Analytically speaking, the in-between shot is the least efficient in the game, but for players like Booker, Durant, and DeRozan (who are very good at it), it’s not discouraged for them to take it the way it is for less talented players. Having that extra scoring level in one’s game makes them a better scoring threat, and Booker is definitely among the best.

He shot 47% in that zone this season, and nearly 49% in 2021. Being able to stop on a dime on drives and still shoot an efficient jumper is an extremely valuable skill in today’s NBA. It’s a lethal weapon against modern defensive coverages that aim to take away the three-point line and the rim, leaving the middle of the floor open.

Booker has also converted on 87% of his free-throws in his career, peaking at nearly 92% in 2020. So if he’s such an elite sniper, why has his efficiency dropped?