Is Devin Booker a superstar? The majority of Phoenix Suns fans would say yes, while there are plenty of others throughout the NBA who would respectfully disagree.
There is no denying he is the Suns' best player, and at 29-years-old is at the peak of his powers as he tries to remain as competitive as possible.
Booker needs Dillon Brooks and Jalen Green to step up
But for all the talk of how much Miles Bridges could help the offense and what great progress Khaman Maluach made at Summer League, Phoenix needs more from their second and third best player next season if they want to make the playoffs again.
We're looking at you Dillon Brooks and Jalen Green.
It is unfair to expect Brooks to expand more upon the career high 20.2 points per game, at times elite defending and being the best player in a series versus the Oklahoma City Thunder. What more can the 30-year-old Canadian international do?
If Brooks can take his game up one more level, to that rarified All-Star air that he lurked in for periods of last season, it would be a huge help to Booker and the Suns' hopes of winning more games.
Imagine being able to dump it to Brooks for a few extra possessions each night, perhaps even while Booker is on the bench. It would be a huge regular season boost to the team, and come the playoffs would give the Suns another weapon as it surprisingly did versus the Thunder.
With Green the picture is much clearer. This has to be the season in which he becomes a consistent 20 point threat himself each night. There is less pressure on him to chip in defensively, while the addition of Koa Peat to go alongside Maluach means the Suns in theory will be more watertight defensively.
Simply being available more is all Booker needs from his co-star, and he will be tasked with carrying the offense more than Brooks. The fit alongside Booker looks clunky, which is why head coach Jordan Ott needs Green to be able to assume the reigns alongside Brooks in the same way Booker already does.
The organization have continued to go all in on trying to win now, so improvement has to come from within. What better way to achieve this than having your two best players after Booker, and the duo who you got in the Kevin Durant deal, take another step forward.
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