Devin Booker And Phoenix Suns Cement Long-Term Partnership With Max Extension

SportsMoneyDevin Booker And Phoenix Suns Cement Long-Term Partnership With Max ExtensionByShane Young, Contributor

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights

Shane Young is a National NBA writer based in Phoenix, AZ

NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kelsey Grant/Getty Images)Getty Images The Phoenix Suns have always been to superstar Devin Booker

They are synonymous with one another, representing a two-sided loyalty that only exists in a handful of NBA cities

Their relationship remains fruitful, and it will carry on for the rest of the decade

The new deal takes Booker through his age-33 season, inching him closer to his goal of staying with one franchise from start to finish

It’s now the richest annual extension salary in NBA history – the record set by MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander only eight days ago

According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Suns owner Mat Ishbia met with Booker and his representation Wednesday night in Las Vegas as they finalized the extension details

Ishbia’s tone and messaging regarding Booker’s future with the team hasn’t changed one bit

He’s repeatedly stated how critical Booker is to their culture and that he will not be traded

This was Ishbia putting his money where his mouth is, and stamping those sentiments with actions

As the league’s salary cap continues to rise, so will a player’s annual salary on a maximum contract

MORE FOR YOU It’s important to point out these dollar amounts represent a certain percentage of the league’s cap

In the case of Booker, this deal makes complete sense for both parties

Of course, there are mild concerns any time a player is ext with multiple years left on their current deal

Pessimists would argue it’s risky, considering you’re betting heavily on the future when there’s a possibility of their duction severely declining as they age

In some cases, it’s better to wait until their contract is on the verge of expiring instead of tying up your books for the next half-decade

This logic shouldn’t apply to Booker’s deal, however

He’s still in the early stages of his prime

Booker turns 29 in October

Given the context of his playstyle, size, and shot creation tactics, it’s silly to suggest his age will be a death sentence in the final years of the contract

His game doesn’t exactly rely on speed as much as other guards, and if there’s one thing Booker has demonstrated over the last few seasons, it’s that he can find new opportunities to evolve when defenses catch up to his strengths

For the Suns, this is absolutely the correct path

Sure, the organization wasn’t up against the clock and didn’t have to extend him right away

In theory, Phoenix could have let next season play out, reevaluated their situation, and worked in tandem with Booker to determine what’s next

But what message does that send

To both the player you watched grow up in your environment and the future stars who might fall in the Suns’ lap

Every single time, you pay your franchise cornerstone – the one who willingly has stuck beside you through all of the uncertainty

All of the culture shifts

It’s not just his talent

It’s who the franchise is

PHOENIX, ARIZONA - APRIL 11: Devin Booker #1 of the Phoenix Suns is introduced before the NBA game

NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)Getty Images Booker is synonymous with Phoenix basketball

He’s the one fans rally behind

He’s the one who connects with the community and helped lead the charge during the most exciting time in Suns history

And that counts for more than people realize

Unless you’re the Mavericks, you simply don’t trade an icon that represents your team, city, and state with that much pride

Also, the conversation would be different if Booker didn’t have a ven track record of attracting star talent to Phoenix

In the past five years, his influence helped draw Chris Paul, Kevin Durant, and Bradley Beal to the Valley

And here’s the thing – none of those guys were free agents

They maneuvered their way to Phoenix, either due to Booker’s private recruiting (in Beal’s case) or the close relationships he’s formed off the court

And throughout all of his pitches to free agents or disgruntled players around the league, you can guarantee he’s pping up the city of Phoenix – not just the basketball scene

This record- contract extension is fitting for Booker’s journey, considering he’s no stranger to raising the bar while donning the purple and orange

Now, he’s ready to lap the field offensively:Devin Booker is already the franchise's all-time leading scorer

He'll continue climbing the

More leaderboard in other as he enters his thirties

Suns History The sustained excellence is what separates him from a lot of other dynamic combo guards

Although he took a slight step back last season with his 3-point efficiency, every other facet of his game remained consistent

He still gets to the line at a solid rate (6. 2 attempts per 36 minutes), and his adaptability in various lineup contexts is a valuable trait to the Suns’ front office

Many people don’t want to believe it, but he’s already positioned himself in some outstanding company, historically

Booker has averaged at least 24 points per game in eight of his first 10 seasons, joining a list of only 13 NBA legends to match or exceed that number:Most seasons with 24+ points per game in a player's first 10 NBA seasons

NBA History Plus, this is only illustrating his scoring acumen – not taking into account the strides Booker has made as a passer over the years

Ing the departure of Paul, the Suns had to utilize Booker in more of a point guard role the last two seasons

There were certainly a few hiccups along the way, but he’s fresh off ranking in the top 10 of potential assists and points generated by assists

That’s in addition to being the league-leader in hockey assists

In simpler terms, Booker isn’t afraid to get off the ball and empower others when he’s facing heavy defensive attention

Not even in the darkest years when Phoenix couldn’t break 25 wins, suffered blowout losses every week, and repeatedly swapped out his coaching staff to prevent any stability

Not even when the former owner was exposed for misogynistic and racist behavior

And not even when the team locked itself into a Big Three that couldn’t stay healthy together

Truthfully, if there was one superstar most people would salute for requesting out, it might be Booker

Nobody would blame him for wanting to take a detour and furthering his career elsewhere

However, that’s not what he’s

He embraces the responsibility of leading a team through the doldrums instead of running from failure

Despite missing the playoffs for the first five seasons of his career, Booker stayed the course

He kept imving his skillset every offseason, evolving from a sharpshooter to well-rounded offensive engine with a terrific blend of downhill scoring and playmaking out of the pick-and-roll

Each year, Booker applied new elements of his game and made tangible gress on both ends of the floor

All of the lessons he learned during the grind, mostly from veterans such as PJ Tucker, Tyson Chandler, and Chris Paul, allowed him to mold his leadership style and master the intangibles every No. 1 option needs

More than anything, his willingness to endure and grow through the losing seasons helped build the type of character and level-headed apach that most of the all-time greats possess

This kind of loyalty from a superstar is increasingly rare in today’s NBA, making the Suns’ recication all the more important

If fans are longing for the good ol’ days of players trusting the cess instead of running from challenges, Booker is one of the few who embody that movement

If the Warriors, Bucks, or Nuggets front offices traded those generational talents against their will, each fanbase would riot

That’s not the type of the Suns brass could afford to do, especially after trading one future Hall-of-Famer in Durant without getting a ton of value for him

While it’s true that Booker isn’t as transformative or dominant as Curry, Giannis, and Jokic and some may argue it’s not worth marrying your franchise to him with the same commitment, Phoenix would (justifiably) counter by saying it’s bigger than basketball

He wanted every leader in the Suns organization, not just players, to prioritize involvement with the fans and give back to those who make sporting events possible

Nobody stamps that identity, or embraces those activities, more than Booker

PHOENIX, ARIZONA - DECEMBER 11: NBA athlete, Devin Booker of the Phoenix Suns signs an autograph for

You also can’t undersell the significance of Booker’s relationship to the Latino community

Through his Mexican heritage and roots that reflect the backgrounds of many local fans, Booker’s identity allows him to resonate with the city in a deeper manner than most superstars

It’s an extra layer that carries weight for fans and it can’t be separated from his on-court impact

As much as analysts try to ditch the human element when evaluating contracts, that mentality can make you to lose sight of the bigger picture

Franchise stars are more than just players

They are individuals who a mutual love with the community

They are people the fans want to root for

Trading or disrespecting them is a sure-fire way to lose support, especially when they’ve done everything right from day one

Booker’s career with the Suns – and the commitment both have made to each other – is all-encompassing

The duction on the court matters

The off-court relationships matter

The community involvement matters

Booker planted his flag in Phoenix more than 10 years ago, and the Suns will do everything in their power to keep revamping the team around him

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