When it looks like things can't get worse for the Phoenix Suns -- it gets even uglier. They're fresh off a 107-96 loss to the LeBron James-less Lakers. Yes, Luka Doncic played, but the loss showed how far the Suns are from where they should be.
Phoenix is a game and a half back from the No. 10 seed in the West, and the only reason the Suns are that close is because of Nico Harrison's incompetence and the Mavericks' never-ending injuries. They can still snatch the final Play-In spot with 14 games left in the regular season, but there's zero reason to believe Phoenix will be a threat, even if the team does win two games to secure a playoff berth.
It's becoming more evident with each game that Kevin Durant will be on his way out this summer after the Suns dangled him in trade talks before the deadline. He has one full season left on his contract and will draw plenty of attention even though he'll be 37 by the time next season starts.
The one thing Mat Ishbia told ESPN that won't happen this offseason is a Devin Booker trade, and that's because Phoenix doesn't want to enter a rebuilding phase.
"Never happen," Ishbia said, interrupting the question. "It's silly. So here's what I'll tell you: I have Devin Booker in the prime. In order to win an NBA championship, you got to have a superstar. You got to have a great player."
Suns would be doing a disservice if they didn't listen to Booker offers
Between Phoenix's supposed Big Three -- Durant, Booker, and Bradley Beal -- the one that'd net the Suns the most in return is Booker. He's 28 and would be a valuable addition to a team that's much closer to winning a championship than the Suns. Booker is "fully committed to spending his entire career in Phoenix," but that doesn't mean it'll happen.
Teams (like the Rockets) would jump all over the opportunity to trade for Booker, giving the Suns a prime chance to recoup the draft assets they've lost. Phoenix should listen to offers, at the very least.
It's not necessarily a bad thing when an NBA owner is committed to building a title contender, but Ishbia and the Suns have made a string of questionable decisions that have set the organization further away from winning a championship. The 2024-25 season has been disastrous, and getting a Play-In spot wouldn't change that. Phoenix wasn't supposed to even be in that position.
Fans have dealt with enough disappointment over the past few seasons, and trading Booker would sting the worst. He's grown up with the Suns and has said several times that he wants to help the organization win its first-ever title. Phoenix hasn't helped itself, though.
Ishbia and the Suns can't let their stubbornness get in the way this offseason and not do their due diligence of exploring all options to improve the team, even if that means a Booker trade to better set the team up for the future.