There's no sign of Devin Booker leaving the Phoenix Suns anytime soon from he or the organization's side of things. While that's undoubtedly a relief for fans of the team to think about, it's also the exact wish of Booker himself. Devin's never expressed a desire to play elsewhere, and his dream of remaining a Sun for life is still very much alive.
It's obvious that this organization looks quite a bit different from when Booker was drafted back in 2015, and even since their NBA Finals appearance in 2021. New ownership has shifted things in a new direction, and not all the fruits of that have been positive thus far.
Phoenix has won less games than the previous season in each of the last three years in a row. It's been a steady decline in terms of the on-court production, and that ultimately culminated in the departure of Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal this offseason. The Suns have appeared to be in limbo for a while at this point, and it feels like now is the time where a low point is being reached.
Still, Booker's not backing down from his loyalty to the franchise. He's repeatedly expressed his desire to remain in Phoenix, despite the struggles and uncertainty facing the organization.
Unlike a lot of stars in the NBA today, Devin understands the kind of risk that comes with leaving town and pursuing a change of scenery. It may seem like a nice idea in theory, but it's not always sunshine and rainbows in reality.
Devin Booker's commitment to the Phoenix Suns is unshakable
"It’s not always greener on the other side,” Booker said. “People always want to leave their situation and end up in a worse situation and then they go missing. You’ll never have the love like you have by the team that drafted you.”
Devin's touching on a really important topic here. You can chase the quick thrill of joining a superteam or living in a new city, but you likely won't capture that same emotion you had playing for a team that drafted you and a fanbase that grew to genuinely love you over time. That's the kind of stuff that you really can't put a price on.
Plenty of people, Suns fans included, have expressed distrust in Phoenix's new ownership. Many thought that could end up being a factor that could push Booker toward leaving the team. But Devin clearly believes in Mat Ishbia's vision, and in the character of the Suns' ownership.
"Knowing his character, he wants to win,” Booker said. “He’s been around winning, he’s been in the locker rooms of winning, so he knows what it takes.”
I don't think anyone would say that Devin Booker has been content or happy with what's been going on with this team in the last couple of years. He obviously didn't want his partnership with Kevin Durant to end in disapointment, and he wasn't hoping his teammates would leave town.
But in the grand scheme of things, he still believes in this organization's direction. He's not anywhere close to ready to jump ship, and he wants to be part of getting Phoenix back on the right track. If he keeps this mentality going, he's going to end up as the most beloved player in Suns franchise history by the time he retires.