Wild Devin Booker trade idea emerges during chaotic playoff series

All is not good in The Valley of the Sun right now. Down 2-0 to the Minnesota Timberwolves and facing an early playoff exit, this team needs to somehow win four out of the next five games without home court advantage, and while trying to get the better of the best defensive team in the league.

Try as they might, Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal have all failed to ignite at the same time, with Booker in particular having a tough series so far. With Jaden McDaniels following him like his shadow, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker and likely Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert in the background ready to help out when Booker does get by McDaniels, Booker has gotten nothing going.

It was only a matter of time then until the first "trade Devin Booker" suggestions started to pop up, and one was recently put forward by none other than Bill Simmons.

The self-confessed "Podfather" not one to shy away from making bold trade ideas and suggestions, which has led to him being an extremely divisive character in the entertaining world of the NBA. This isn't the first time Simmons has mentioned Booker recently either - and with the Suns staring elimination in the face - he has come back for more, saying on his podcast on The Ringer;

"(Suns' owner Mat) Ishbia and whoever his inner circle is, and they're like let's call New Orleans. (Executive VP David) Griffin answers and he says C.J. McCollum and Trey Murphy and throw us two future picks, and you can have Booker."

Bill Simmons

That above trade proposal sounds absolutely laughable, even after Simmons went on to clarify that the two picks would be the best first-rounders that the Pelicans currently have available from their considerable stash. Thankfully Kevin O'Connor was on hand to add some sort of sense and logic to an otherwise outrageous suggestion, putting forward the idea of five first-round picks.

The main argument here is that Simmons believes Murphy is more than just a role player, and O'Connor does not. Either way, giving up your franchise player for one of the more underwhelming packages ever put forward is not what the Suns have in mind, no matter how this postseason ends. And yet...

The Suns don't have any more outs because their top three players make so much money, and it has been worrying to see so many Suns fans turn on Booker after a couple of bad playoff games. This is more out of frustration for the season as a whole - but as we've explained before - none of this is Booker's fault.

He was asked to play point guard and to make it work with Durant, and all he has ever tried to do is exactly that. Durant is 35-years-old and there's already some smoke about him looking at pastures new in the near future, while Beal has had plenty of injuries in only his first season with the team.

Getting rid of Booker at this point would be foolish - but if it becomes apparent that he wants out after this season - then a rival organization is going to have to do a lot better than the deal Simmons put forward here. Former first overall pick Deandre Ayton's trade package was underwhelming at the time, although the Suns would go on to win that trade.

But Booker is on another level entirely to Ayton, and he's also still only 27-years-old. He's led this team to the finals and in theory he's not even in his prime yet. This season was a bit of a mess - and there is a chance it won't get better any time soon - but gift-wrapping Booker to the Pelicans to play with Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram is absolutely not it.