With his singular talent not yet leading to winning, Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker could become a trade commodity. If he were to be available, plenty of teams would be lining up trying to get him. On that note, an interesting suitor has emerged.
According to Marc Berman of the New York Post, the New York Knicks have emerged as a team that could pursue Booker. New team president Leon Rose was Booker’s agent, and due to playing at Kentucky Booker is close with new Knicks’ advisor William “World Wide Wes” Wesley.
Per Berman’s article, Booker spoke highly of the Knicks hiring Rose. With Berman also passing along “rumblings” Booker is tired of the perennial losing in Phoenix, this goes into the category of “words matter.”
“I think he’ll do unbelievable”, Booker said of Rose. “One of the most genuine guys I know. One of the most honest guys I know. So I’m happy for him in his new position. I think the Knicks are in really good hands.”
Booker is somehow still just 23 years old, with his 24th birthday on Oct. 30. He has improved every year of his career, with a career-high average of 26.6 points per game in 2018-19. At the time of the shutdown this season, he was averaging 26.1 points per game and coming off his first All-Star appearance.
Booker has four years left on his big contract, with salaries of $29.47 million (2020-21), $31.65 million (2021-22), $33.83 million (2022-23) and $36.016 million (2023-24). So the Knicks or any other team will have to send a lot back to the Suns in a trade.
But Booker is one of top young stars in the NBA, with a ceiling he possibly hasn’t quite reached. So the price to get him might just be worth it. The Knicks would not regret making a big move for Booker, with his affinity for Rose as a driving force to get it done with a high level of approval.
