Suns' owner will 'ride into a fire' with Devin Booker, says no trade
· Yahoo Sports
Mat Ishbia strongly defended his franchise player.
The Phoenix Suns team owner addressed the question of whether the team should proceed without Devin Booker, who received criticism from those who felt he didn’t do enough against the defending NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder in their best-of-7 series, which Phoenix lost in a sweep.
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“Devin Booker is our franchise player, I love Devin Booker,” Ishbia said during his end-of-season press conference on April 30 at the team's practice facility.
“Devin Booker loves being here. Our coach (Jordan Ott) loves Devin Booker, our (general manager Brian Gregory) loves Devin Booker. Devin Booker is going to be here. Devin Booker is going to lead us to a championship here in Phoenix. That’s what he’s going to do.”
The five-time All-Star is under contract with Phoenix through the 2029-30 season after signing a historic two-year, $145-million extension last summer.
“We’re going to build the right team around him,” Ishbia continued. “He’s going to get better, just as I’m going to get better, just like everyone is going to get better in our organization. At the same time, Devin Booker is who we want here and he’s great for the city, great for the community. I’ll ride into a fire with Devin Booker and I’ll do it proudly.”
Ishbia concluded his comments about Booker on the trade notion by saying he and Booker have each other’s backs, that Booker is “our guy” and Booker “isn’t getting traded.”
Booker averaged a team-high 26.1 points and six assists in his 11th NBA season out of Kentucky.
In the playoffs against the Thunder, Booker averaged 21.3 points for his lowest playoff scoring average ever in his fifth year reaching the postseason.
He shot just 25% from 3 and had nearly as many turnovers (16) as assists (19).
“Devin Booker is everything that we want here in Phoenix as a leader, as the star player, in the community, on the court, off the court,” Ishbia said. “I think people don’t realize the gravity that he brings to a basketball game. Of course, I’d like Devin Booker to make a higher percentage of his shots. You can go through all those details, but the truth is, Devin Booker is a winner, and he cares and does all the little things that the normal eye doesn’t see and catch.”
Suns guard Grayson Allen complimented Booker’s play in the series, particularly the first half of Game 4 when Phoenix scored 67 points to trail by eight at the break.
“Maybe one of the most unselfish things I’ve seen is Devin Booker; he doesn’t take a lot of shots, doesn’t score a lot of points because of how they’ve been guarding us,” Allen said at the team’s exit interviews April 28.
“He was content not getting the points, not getting the assists, but being the guy that creates the opportunities, starts the offense for other people."
Booker scored only two points in the first half but finished the game with 24 points, six assists and six turnovers.
"You've got to give them credit," Booker said after Game 4 about the Thunder. "There are three All-Defensive guys over there that they keep in rotation. Seems like the game plan is don't let me get any touches at any time. Still trying to be aggressive and find spots, but somebody's locked onto me, and it's opening up an opportunity for a teammate."
Ishbia reiterated that point in sticking up for his franchise player.
“He’s a leader on and off the court, but he does all little things from rebounding to defense to understanding the other team’s plays,” Ishbia continued. “And he’s also the main focal point of every team we play, which makes it so it’s easier for Jalen (Green) or Dillon (Brooks) or Collin (Gillespie) or Mark (Williams) or whoever else is in the court.”
The Suns have lost 10 straight playoff games, with Booker being the common link.
"Just roll with the punches, continue to be a leader and still blessed to be in this position and I don't take it for granted," Booker said after Game 4. "I approach every day with a new chance, new mindset and we did some good things this year."
Have opinions about the current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at [email protected] or contact him at 480-810-5518. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @DuaneRankin.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Suns owner Mat Ishbia dismisses idea of trading Devin Booker