Devin Booker has cemented his legacy with the Phoenix Suns, agreeing to a two-year max extension worth an estimated $145 million, setting a new benchmark with an average annual salary of $72.5 million. This narrowly tops the previous record held by MVP and NBA champion Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who inked a four-year, $285 million deal ($71.25 million per year) just last week.
To put this in perspective, Suns legend Steve Nash– a two-time MVP and five-time assist leader-earned around $147 million across his 18 NBA seasons. Booker will pocket just $2 million less with this two-year deal alone, and by the time it wraps, he’ll have earned $375 million by age 32. Not a bad haul for a guy who’s become the heart of Phoenix basketball.
Booker’s journey with the Suns, who drafted him 13th overall in 2015, has been a rollercoaster. Over 10 seasons, he’s averaged 24.4 points and 5.2 assists, though last year’s efficiency dipped to 46.1% from the field and 33.2% from three-some of his lowest marks. Still, at 28, he’s the Suns’ all-time leader in points and threes, ranking fourth in assists.
Booker’s Big Payday Wouldn’t Have Happened with Durant on the Team
He’s the lone player from that 15′ draft class, which included stars like Karl-Anthony Towns, Kristaps Porziis, and Myles Turner, still with his original team-a rarity that hints he’ll retire as Phoenix’s greatest ever, eclipsing icons like Nash, Shawn Marion, and Kevin Johnson. This massive payday might not have happened without the Suns’ bold move to trade Kevin Durant last month to the Houston Rockets for Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, and the 10th draft pick (Duke center Khaman Maluach).
The Durant experiment flopped, leaving Phoenix 11th in the West and out of the play-in. I’d bet Booker saw the writing on the wall last season-Durant’s exit was the key to unlocking this extension, though the exact figure might’ve been a surprise. It’s a win for Booker, adding athleticism and grit, but Bradley Beal’s contract remains a headache for the whole organization. Will they give him another shot or buy him out? That story’s still unfolding.
A Legacy in the Making for Booker in Phoenix
Booker’s tenure in Phoenix has had its ups and downs. His first four years were lean, with the Suns never topping 24 wins. They went 121-280 over his first five seasons in the NBA, which was the worst record in the league during that time. Then came the 2020-21 season, when Booker teamed up with Chris Paul to lead the Suns to the NBA Finals. They fell to the Milwaukee Bucks in six games. The following year, they set a franchise record with 64 wins, and Booker finished fourth in MVP voting.
His personal peak? At just 20, in his second season, he became the youngest player to hit 60 points, erupting for 70-a feat that made him the sixth in NBA history to reach that mark. That scoring prowess is why Phoenix bet big on him. He’s the soul of the city, and it feels like he’ll stay put, chasing a legacy like one-team legends Magic Johnson, Tim Duncan, Kobe Bryant, and Dirk Nowitzki. The difference? Those guys snagged championships-something Booker’s determined to add to his résumé.
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