Devin Booker's contract extension comes at perfect time for Phoenix Suns

Devin Booker's expected contract extension with the Phoenix Suns was informally announced on Wednesday, with Shams Charania of ESPN taking to social media to confirm the sides had agreed to tack on two years to Booker's current deal. This will take him through to the 2029-30 season, and the final number ended up being $145 million across those additional two years.

This falls a fraction below the $150 million number that had been bandied about for several weeks, not that it is an issue for either side. Taking into account the money that was still owed to Booker prior to the extension being added, he is owed $314 million between now and when the deal ends, at which point he will have spent 15 seasons in The Valley. Not bad money if you can get it.

Booker's commitment comes at perfect time as Suns re-tool roster.

With Kevin Durant having been traded and Bradley Beal likely to be bought out any day now, this was the perfect time for the franchise to announce the extension. Although fans are clearly happy with the new direction the Suns are going - it would be hard not to be after enduring the last two campaigns - there is a fear in the unknown.

Yes the Booker/Durant Suns couldn't defend anybody and didn't win a playoff game in Durant's two full seasons in Phoenix, but there was a sense of comfort in knowing their combined offensive skills were on the court together. That has now been replaced by some rookies - one of which is already saying the right things - and the incoming duo of Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks.

So while the Suns are going to be better defensively - and really that wouldn't be hard - the team is about to go through a transition period. They have a first time head coach in Jordan Ott and rookies in Khaman Maluach, Rasheer Fleming and Koby Brea, while Ryan Dunn and Oso Ighodaro are back for year two.

Amidst all of that uncertainty - and even the most optimistic of fans knows that all five of those youngsters won't pan out the way they're supposed to - Booker's commitment is the perfect tonic. It is much easier to cheer for a product that is not close to contention - but making steps to get there - when an organization has "their guy" giving his all on the court each night.

Keeping Booker around also ensures that when the Suns are ready to get closer to contending again, they have the superstar in place. That is the hard part - and if some of the role players and rookies pop - then free agents will once again look to Phoenix as a destination worth going to. It was Booker who made the idea attractive to both Durant and Beal, and that can happen again in the future.

Looking at this big picture - and while everybody wants Booker to go down as perhaps the greatest Suns player of all-time - the extension also protects the organization's future. If he does eventually ask out, the length of his deal will mean the Suns get a massive haul back for his services, so that they can go into a rebuild in the best possible spot. This is a complete win for everybody.