In the back half of the NBA season, every win becomes all the more crucial. This is especially true for a team like the Phoenix Suns, who might not even make the NBA Play-In Tournament and have several question marks regarding their star cast of players.
One recent development, in particular, has revealed an interesting narrative about head coach Mike Budenholzer and star guard Devin Booker.
Mike Budenholzer’s Odd Request
According to NBA insider Chris Haynes, Budenholzer summoned Booker for a private discussion. The purpose was to request that Booker “tone it down vocally” during games and timeouts, comments that reportedly left the All-Star guard “shocked.”
This revelation is notably intriguing given Booker’s well-established role as a vocal leader and the Suns’ emotional catalyst. As one of the NBA’s longest tenured players with a single team, you can bet that his voice carries a lot of weight in that locker room.
Following the team’s recent loss to the New Orleans Pelicans on Thursday, Feb. 27, Booker candidly addressed the team’s communication issues:
The Phoenix Suns’ lackluster performance as of late is what makes this story all the more intriguing. Having lost ten of their last 12 games, the Suns currently sit 11th in the Western Conference standings and three games back from a NBA Play-In spot, a position that falls well short of preseason expectations.
Bradley Beal has hardly lived up to his lofty five-year, $251 million contract signed in 2022, averaging a mere 18 points per game this season, his lowest point total since 2015. While Kevin Durant already appears to be ready to play for a new franchise in 2026.
For the longest time, Booker felt nearly untouchable. He’s posted seven consecutive seasons averaging at least 25 points per game and is one of the game’s best pure scorers. He’s also spent his entire 10-year NBA career in Phoenix and hasn’t shown any desire to want to play elsewhere. That said, this current situation could change things.
Having signed his supermax extension in 2022, Booker could choose to decline the $62.8 million player option for 2027-28 this summer. This would make him eligible to receive a three-year, $212 million deal either with the Suns or another franchise willing to take on his salary, to which I’m sure there would be plenty.
On the other side of the spectrum you have Budenholzer, who is in his first season as head coach of the Phoenix Suns, and given that it has resulted in the team potentially missing the postseason, it could be his last. In just a few short months, Budenholzer could be fired, Durant could get traded, and I’m sure if given the opportunity, they would love to move on from Beal too.
To say the vibes are not great in Phoenix right now would be an understatement.
Looking at things from an optimistic lens, they could find willing trade partners for Durant and Beal, acquire a few valuable draft picks and put together a really cohesive team to compete next season. But even if they nail the NBA Draft and bring in all the right players, it won’t matter if Booker has checked out or left the building altogether.
