Mat Ishbia makes the Suns stance on Devin Booker crystal clear

The Phoenix Suns love Devin Booker and unquestionably want him to be the face of their franchise. Owner Mat Ishbia’s comments on media day made that abundantly clear. They were excited to extend the prime superstar, despite putting lessening the talent around him this summer. Ishbia detailed all the reasons why in his preseason presser.

The key takeaways for Suns fans are that the owner believes Booker can be the number one option on a championship team and is excited the star is all-in on figuring this out together. Booker later doubled down on staying in Phoenix with fans' ideal goal in mind. This partnership isn’t going anywhere, even if the Suns take a step backward this season.

The franchise faces several questions after adding Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, Mark Williams, and a handful of rookies to their roster. Their stance on Devin Booker is not one of them. Book is locked in as Phoenix’s leader until he demands a trade.

Devin Booker is the face of the Suns moving forward

Ishbia made it clear that Booker is his star. He sees the four-time All-Star as the face of the franchise and knows he can lead them back to the NBA Finals like he did in 2021. The Suns have reoriented the roster around him. This is Booker’s team, and Ishbia plans to keep it that way.

Booker puts up monster numbers every year, but he must lock in his jumper to take the next step. He shot just 33.2 percent from 3-point range last season as the entire Suns’ roster struggled. Phoenix is embracing toughness and a defensive mentality with their new build. Booker is not afraid to get feisty, and that won’t change as Phoenix’s D ratchets up.

The Suns have Green and Booker to split the point guard duties. Ideally, head coach Jordan Ott finds a trusted option to lean on more heavily, but fans can expect Book to take over in the biggest moments. It is his team after all.

The rumors and questions won’t stop if the Suns struggle. Devin Booker turns 29 just days after opening night. He is in his prime, but quickly approaching his 30th birthday. Phoenix traded all their draft picks away to get Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal, so getting Booker more help is difficult. At some point, the four-time All-Star may choose chasing a championship over being the Suns' star. It doesn’t appear close, but the moment comes for every top player.

The Phoenix Suns are married to Devin Booker as their best player, and the superstar is all-in on the only NBA franchise he’s ever played for. Ishbia has no plans of trading his star. Those rumors should die, but they’ll pop right back up if the Suns struggle. Such is the nature of the NBA.

There are only a handful of players as talented as Book. Those will always be a hot commodity, but Suns fans should breathe easy. He isn’t going anywhere unless he wants out.