Devin Booker has proven himself as the star of the Suns this season and led the team to an 8-5 record. Despite missing true secondary creators, Booker is embracing the challenge and seems satisfied with his role in Phoenix. However, the Suns may be forced to trade him if they receive a Godfather offer, which could come from the rising Detroit Pistons.
The Pistons can make a huge offer for Booker.
Detroit has gotten off to a roaring start so far at 11-2. They are riding a 9-game winning streak to the top of the East, and doing so with multiple injuries. The Pistons have found all this success without Jaden Ivey the whole season, which may convince them that he’s expendable in a trade.
The Pistons’ newfound depth which has been prominent in recent wins can make their front office more aggressive in pursuing upgrades to the roster. The Pistons currently look like they are one star piece away from being contenders, especially in the Eastern Conference. Booker has long been rumored in connection to the team because he hails from Michigan, but now it’s actually realistic for both sides.
The Suns will need to be careful that they don’t make a trade they regret but the Pistons can give them a lot of high upside. Ivey showed great promise in 30 games last season before suffering a season-ending injury.
In those games, he got up to 17 points per game as the team’s secondary option and was efficient as a scorer. He shot 46% from the field and 41% from three, showcasing incredible growth as a long-range shooter.
Along with Ivey, the Pistons may be willing to part ways with Ron Holland II - another high-upside prospect who is still just 20 years old. Holland is a defensive disruptor and dangerous slasher, but his offensive game has lagged behind. In Summer League, he displayed improvements in shooting and ball handling that had the Pistons excited but they’ve failed to materialize so far this season.
However, the promise is apparent and Holland can fit into the defense-first winning culture that the Suns are building. Exchanging Booker for Ivey and Holland, in addition to Tobias Harris as salary filler and additional draft compensation, would be a full reset for the Suns.
It would signal a new youth movement and part with a franchise icon after his many years of service. But it might be exactly what the franchise needs to eventually build a championship contender.
As fun as this season has been, the harsh reality is that the Suns lack the overall talent to make noise in the Western Conference playoffs. With so many other superior teams, the Suns will have a hard time winning multiple series. But trading Devin Booker for multiple promising young pieces will give the Suns a pathway towards future contention.