Account
Report: Devin Booker, Suns to Discuss Possible Max-Deal Contract Extension
July 2, 2018
Phoenix Suns owner Robert Sarver and general manager Ryan McDonough will meet with guard Devin Booker on Tuesday to present him a contract extension offer.
Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reported Booker is a "strong candidate" for a max deal.
Booker, 21, would make more than $150 million over the course of a five-year extension if the Suns choose to make him a designated player.
One of the most promising young scorers in basketball, Booker averaged 24.9 points, 4.7 assists and 4.5 rebounds per game in 2017-18. He's increased his scoring, assists and rebounds in every NBA season.
While not a perfect player (read: bad at defense), Booker is as close to a franchise player as the Suns have. They selected Deandre Ayton with the first overall pick in June's draft, but Booker is the franchise face for now—a distinction that amplifies pressure on the Suns front office.
Booker has made it clear he wants the Suns to begin competing immediately.
"I'm done with not making the playoffs. I'm serious," Booker told reporters. "This is probably the last year I'm ever not making the playoffs. That's putting pressure on myself I need. I'm watching these games right now with teams trying to clinch and the playoff atmosphere of those games and those are the games I want to be in."
In terms of leverage, there's not really much Booker can do here. He could theoretically turn down an extension, but Phoenix will have matching rights next summer. To gain true unrestricted free agency, Booker would have to sign his qualifying offer next summer and then wade into the waters in 2020—no one does that.
Odds are Booker will agree to the max deal presented to him as early as Tuesday.