Suns fans are still laughing at the Heat for passing on Devin Booker

The Phoenix Suns have had a tough offseason, but it was also necessary as they look to once again rebuild around Devin Booker. Both Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal are gone, with the franchise failing to go on a deep playoff run when both were in The Valley. The team also has a new head coach in Jordan Ott, who will be the fourth in four seasons for Booker.

If he fails to build the bones of a successful defensive scheme quickly, he is going to go the way of those veteran head coaches who came before him. Then there is owner Mat Ishbia, who continues to say and do the wrong things publicly at a time when the Suns need to quietly rebuild their roster using the three rookies they added this summer, plus Ryan Dunn and Oso Ighodaro.

Miami Heat's decision to pass on Booker alway reason to smile.

So while there is so much uncertainty around the franchise right now, let us instead cast our minds back to the 2015 NBA Draft, when the Suns were saved by the addition of Booker with the 13th pick. He was considered more of a role player having been just that in his lone season with Kentucky, while he proved with Team USA at the 2024 Olympic Games that he can revert back to that when needed.

But with the Miami Heat on the clock with the 10th pick, they elected to take Justise Winslow of Duke, leaving Booker on the board for the Suns to eventually take. The next two picks after that were center Myles Turner to the Indiana Pacers (definitely worked out), and then Trey Lyles to the Utah Jazz (not so much, although they did also have Gordon Hayward).

Which is why it is the Heat who look the most foolish for failing to see what Booker would become. Winslow last played in the NBA in 2023, and was one of the more underwhelming lottery picks of the last decade relative to both the expectations for him, and the fact he went to a franchise in the Heat who so often nail these picks.

Also worth remembering is the fact the Heat were only two years removed from their most recent championship, and still had a veteran heavy team. We know now that Booker would have been the perfect bridge between an exciting future, but he also could have helped stars such as Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh immediately by replicating his Kentucky role too.

That roster also had Mario Chalmers, Luol Deng and Joe Johnson, but there is one name that stands out more than any from a Phoenix perspective. Suns' great Amar'e Stoudemire was also in South Beach at that point. Imagine if those two had teamed up there, instead of both being all-time Suns greats in their own rights. The Suns might be struggling right now, but this will never not be funny.