The Phoenix Suns have zeroed in on a Kevin Durant trade, hoping to get a deal done before the first round of the draft on June 25. They need to get the best return possible so they can try to make a run in a stacked conference that will get even stronger after the Mavericks select Cooper Flagg with the No. 1 pick. Even more so, they need to do right by Devin Booker.
Mat Ishbia made it clear on several occasions that the Suns don't want to trade Booker, who also wants to stay in Phoenix. Booker proved his commitment to the organization once again by participating in the head coach search and selecting Jordan Ott as his top choice. The star guard wants to lead the Suns to a title, a position the team was in once upon a time, but since then, they've taken a turn for the worse.
Phoenix reportedly wants a package comparable to what it gave up for Durant in 2023, which seems far-fetched, but then again, if Memphis can get four first-round picks and a first-round pick swap for Desmond Bane, maybe the Suns will get lucky. Rather than prioritizing future draft picks, Phoenix could use a high pick in this year's draft as well as a few win-now players around Booker.
The last thing they want to happen is to have a season like the one that they wrapped up a couple of months ago, which could lead to Booker requesting a trade.
Suns need to keep Devin Booker happy with solid Durant trade return
Booker has been with the Suns for the past 10 seasons, so he's seen it all. In his first four seasons in Phoenix, the team failed to win more than 24 games in a single season (2016-17), a streak that ended in 2019-20 when they won 34 games. They won 51 in 2020-21 and made it to the NBA Finals. The following season, the Suns won 64 games, but the Mavericks eliminated them in the second round of the playoffs.
It's quite a miracle that Booker still wants to be in Phoenix, even after the front office turned an NBA Finals roster into one that couldn't make it to the Play-In Tournament. The Durant trade in 2023 was supposed to be the move that led the Suns to winning a title, but it turned out to be the beginning of the end. Phoenix gave up key players and draft picks to not make it past the second round.
Booker will be eligible to sign an extension this offseason, and if one doesn't happen, it won't mean he no longer wants to be in Phoenix. That could end up being the case eventually, but he isn't there (yet). Let's keep him far away from that territory by nailing the Durant trade, please.