Hard as it is to believe, the Phoenix Suns are only four years removed from a trip to the NBA Finals. We unfortunately all know how that ended, with the core of that group being broken up once Mat Ishbia bought the franchise. Two of the key pieces of that team were Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton, with the now 28-year-old Booker the only player from that era who remains.
Ayton surprised a lot of people by getting bought out by the Portland Trail Blazers - who the Suns traded him to for Jusuf Nurkic and Grayson Allen - and subsequently joining the Los Angeles Lakers. To add another link to all of this, the Lakers only went and got Ayton after vetoing a trade for Mark Williams because of his injury history. He is now in Phoenix and wouldn't you know it, he's injured.
Booker doesn't have anything to say about Ayton's game anymore.
With the Suns and Lakers due to face off in their opening preseason game - the Suns will head off to China after the contest for a pair of games against the Brooklyn Nets - Booker was naturally asked about his former defensive anchor and first overall pick. His answer? Even colder than you would have expected it to be, take a look for yourself.
Q: What do you think at this stage of his career he can bring to this Lakers team?
— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) October 3, 2025
A: "I guess we'll just have to see, you know. Yeah."
Devin Booker answering @mcten question about what former Suns big Deandre Ayton can bring to the Los Angeles Lakers. #Suns #LakeShow pic.twitter.com/UiIq9QfZAI
Even though Booker didn't say a lot, really he's said everything here. This was a chance to go on about how much Ayton meant to the Suns when they did play together, and even how he could bring a lot to the Lakers having not really worked out in Portland. The NBA is a small circle, and former players generally use these moments to praise one another.
Booker certainly showed love to Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal during media day recently, despite the fact the trio failed to live up to expectations massively. It was more of a franchise decision to move on from the pair and start this rebuild - versus Ayton actively wanting out of The Valley - and Booker seems to have remembered that important distinction.
As if these two teams needed any more reasons not to like one another, and you can bet rookie Khaman Maluach could be in for a tough time now as well. With Williams sidelined, this is a massive opportunity for him. One Ayton isn't going to let him have easily, not that Booker is particularly worried about what his former teammate brings to the court at this stage of his career.