Latest snub shows how far Suns' star has fallen this season

The Phoenix Suns continue to fight their way through an up-and-down season in which each demoralizing loss is generally followed up by a win that gets the fanbase back onside. That's how the last week has gone, a hammering at the hands of the Cleveland Cavaliers followed up by a straightforward victory over the Brooklyn Nets.

During this period Kevin Durant saw himself named an All-Star starter for the Western Conference in what will be his 15th appearance at the midseason exhibition, as he continues to build on his legacy. Quite whether he deserves that accolade or not is another conversation, but there's no doubt his offensive talent and appeal to fans means he should be in the Bay Area for the game next month.

Devin Booker might not be so lucky, in a sign of how far he's fallen.

Booker has been an All-Star in four of the last five seasons, and that has largely coincided with the rise of the Suns from also rans out West to legitimate contenders when they made the NBA Finals in 2021. The addition of Durant only added to the exposure of the franchise, and Booker's elite play has been shown on the biggest stage possible for some time now.

Not only does Booker have the kind of game that merits All-Star selection, the more casual fans out there tend to gravitate towards him too. You could make the case he's more marketable and known than NBA Champion Jayson Tatum, with his signature shoe a hot commodity as well. Yet puzzlingly, that same fan vote couldn't get him close to being a starter in the game this season.

Instead he will have to rely on the coach's to get him there - and if the TNT crew are any indication - that does not bode well for Book. Once the starters were announced the trio of Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith and Shaquille O'Neal were asked to put forward the reserves - and while they are hardly the gate keepers on who gets in or not - it was telling that Booker didn't make any of their lists.

Booker's personal stats haven't dipped all that much from previous seasons, although the 25.7 points he's averaging per game would be the second lowest of all of his years when he was selected to be an All-Star if he were to once again this season. The 3-point shooting percentage is also down, but this feels like more of a big picture decision against both Booker and the Suns.

The reality is they're scrapping for a play-in spot at the moment, and Booker has not been close to the dominant force we have seen him be in the past. Perhaps he can't shake that persona he had going on at te Olympics last summer in Paris, because that alpha energy hasn't been seen much in The Valley so far this season.

This isn't an issue of playing next to Durant - and indeed Bradley Beal - either, as the fit arguably looks as good as it ever has. Looking at the above lists of all three, and it is hard to make a case for Booker to get in over any of those players. The Golden State Warriors have also struggled this season, but Stephen Curry continues to do a lot with not a ton of help. That is not true of Booker, who has Durant.

Similarly Kyrie Irving has led the charge while Luka Doncic has been missing for the Dallas Mavericks, while Alperin Sengun is perhaps the most underrated player on a second seed Houston Rockets group. Barkley might be going too far in suggesting Norman Powell should get a spot, but he's also had a fantastic season for the L.A. Clippers to this point.

Not only has he stepped into the void left by Paul George after his departure to the Philadelphia 76ers, he's flat out played better than him this season too. It's going to be very hard to squeeze Booker into this picture, which would be a worrying indication of how he is trending as he continues spending his prime years in Phoenix.