The Suns are no longer considered a serious contender in the Western Conference following their failed big three experiment with Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal joining forces with Devin Booker. Durant and Beal are now playing for the Rockets and Clippers, respectively.
Despite that, Booker is content to remain with the organization long-term, he told Nick Friedell of The Athletic. Booker believes there’s something special about an elite player remaining on the same team and playing in the same city throughout his career, as Stephen Curry is doing with the Warriors.
“I was adopted as an 18-year-old coming in,” Booker said of Phoenix before playing Curry’s Warriors in Golden State. “I was embraced through tough times, all the way to making a Finals run. The city watched me grow up. I enjoyed growing up in the city. I’m sure Steph can say a lot of similar things about this area.”
Booker, who is in his 11th season, can’t see Curry leaving the Warriors for the remainder of his career. Booker, who just turned 29, wants it that way with the Suns.
“I don’t think he’s going anywhere,” Booker said of Curry. “And I don’t think I am either.”
Contractually, Booker is tied to his organization. He signed a two-year extension this summer worth an estimated $145MM that runs through the end of the 2029/30 season.
Booker embraces his role of being the team leader and spokesman.
“It’s a lot of pride,” Booker said. “It’s a lot of responsibility. It’s something that I try to communicate to the young guys. Having those couple deep playoff runs, and just getting the city to become electric, is a feeling that I’m chasing, want to get back to.”
Lakers forward Dalton Knecht got off to a great start as a rookie last season, averaging 12.2 points per game and making 43.9% of his three-pointers in his first 19 outings. However, he averaged just 8.1 PPG and knocked down just 34.8% of his outside shots the rest of the way while struggling defensively.
As Dan Woike of The Athletic writes, a poor Summer League showing in which Knecht shot just 32.1% from the field and 23.7% on three-pointers further exacerbated the concerns that rival scouts and executives have about the 24-year-old, whose trade value has dipped in the past year.
While Knecht has been viewed as a prime trade chip for the Lakers – he was part of the package the team was prepared to give up in February for Mark Williams – sources who spoke to Woike don’t believe the Lakers would be able to extract value comparable to the No. 17 pick they used on him right now. The general consensus, Woike writes, is that he could return multiple second-rounders, or perhaps even a single second-rounder.
However, Knecht is in just the second season of his four-year rookie contract and should still have plenty of time – and opportunities – to work on making his game more well-rounded. Head coach JJ Redick remains optimistic about Knecht’s potential.
“I’m very confident (that) when he’s confident, he’s a high-level offensive player in the NBA,” Redick said last weekend. “It’s the other stuff that he’s got to just do and find that consistency in his defense, on being the low man, or boxing out, or crashing every time or sprinting back and actually talking in transition. When he’s doing those things, he’s an impact player.”
Here’s more from around the Pacific Division:
Mark Williams is entering training camp with a new team for the first time in his career after being sent from the Hornets to the Suns this offseason. According to Duane Rankin of Arizona Republic, he’s looking to prove that Charlotte shouldn’t have traded him.
“Just to be where you’re wanted is always great,” Williams said at the Suns media day “To be here is exciting. Charlotte was ultimately where I was drafted to. There was a belief in me at some point, but once you trade me the first time, it was only a matter of time before I was gone. So I knew that was coming. I just intend to make them regret that decision every time I’m on the court.”
It initially looked like Williams would be traded to the Lakers at last year’s deadline in exchange for Dalton Knecht and a pick, but that deal fell through due to concerns about the big man’s physical. After averaging 12.3 points, 8.8 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game in his first three seasons, Williams is excited for his new opportunity in the final year of his rookie contract.
“He’s been with us every day since July 1,” Suns general manager Brian Gregory said. “His strength gains in the lower body have been off the charts. His work ethic on a daily basis, off the chart. His attitude, he understood where he was at and where he needed to get to and he’s worked every single day on that.”
Rankin writes that Williams is expected to start at center but will battle with rookie Khaman Maluach, Oso Ighodaro and Nick Richards in camp.
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First-time head coach Jordan Ott will be faced with some difficult decisions this fall as the Suns prepare for training camp, writes Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic (subscriber link).
In addition to managing Devin Booker‘s workload and discovering if Khaman Maluach, Rasheer Fleming and Koby Brea can contribute as rookies, Ott and his staff will also have to determine Phoenix’s starting lineup. According to Rankin, Booker, Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks and Mark Williams will likely be four of the five starters, but the fifth is less certain.
Rankin views second-year wing Ryan Dunn as the most logical candidate to be the fifth starter, assuming he was able to improve his three-point shot over the summer. If Dunn’s offensive efficiency is still lacking, Royce O’Neale would be a more proven option as a small-ball four.
Second-year forward/center Oso Ighodaro is another player who could receive starting consideration if Ott experiments with two-big lineups, Rankin adds.
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After stating in mid-July that he was “pretty confident” the Lakers weren’t interested in Heat forward Andrew Wiggins, Dan Woike of The Athletic confirms reporting from Marc Stein, writing that the Lakers appear more inclined to pursue an upgrade on the wing – including a player like Wiggins – in the wake of Luka Doncic‘s long-term commitment to the team. Doncic signed a three-year, maximum-salary extension with Los Angeles last month.
Although the Lakers seem more open to taking on contracts that run beyond the 2025/26 season in the right deal, they also may want to see how new additions like Deandre Ayton, Marcus Smart, and Jake LaRavia look this fall before they cash in any of their limited trade assets, Woike cautions.
The Lakers can currently only trade one future first-round pick, either their 2031 or 2032 selection.
Here’s more from around the Pacific:
Tragedy has struck Timberwolves big man Naz Reid and his family. His sister, Toraya Reid, was shot and killed Saturday in New Jersey, Eva Herscowitz of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. A New Jersey prosecutor charged Shaquille Green, whom the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office said was in a relationship with Toraya Reid, with her murder.
Reid’s former teammate, Knicks star Karl-Anthony Towns, was devastated by the news.
“Heartbroken. No words can ever take away the pain for my brother,” Towns tweeted. “Holding everyone close in prayer today.”
The Spurs and Hawks are considered the co-favorites to make the biggest leap in the NBA during the upcoming season, according to a panel of ESPN Insiders.
The panel made its predictions on a wide variety of topics, including the team most likely to make a big move before the trade deadline (the Warriors received the most votes) and the next superstar to request a trade (Zion Williamson was the top vote-getter).
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The Warriors haven’t given up hope of trading for LeBron James and teaming him with Stephen Curry, according to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (subscription required). Sources tell Fischer that Golden State has reached out to the Lakers on multiple occasions over the past 18 months to work out a deal, but has come up empty.
James and Curry played together at the Paris Olympics last August, combining their talents to capture a gold medal for Team USA. Coach Steve Kerr was in charge of that team, and the Warriors would like to create that same dynamic in the NBA.
Even though there are persistent rumors that James might be headed elsewhere after picking up his $52.6MM player option in June, Fischer points out that it would be tough for Golden State to put together a trade proposal that matches salaries without tearing apart the core of the roster. He adds that also holds true if Giannis Antetokounmpo were to ask out of Milwaukee.
There’s more from the Pacific Division:
The Warriors do not want to include the contract of either Moses Moody or Buddy Hield as part of a possible Jonathan Kuminga sign-and-trade with the Kings, Sam Amick of The Athletic confirms (via Twitter). That essentially stalls the deal indefinitely, as Golden State would need to move off one of those players in order to take back Malik Monk and fill out the rest of its roster.
There’s still plenty of time left between now and the October 1 deadline for Kuminga to accept his qualifying offer, so it’s possible other suitors or offers will emerge for the restricted free agent forward, but for now, Golden State expects Kuminga to return to the team for 2025/26.
Kuminga was injured for much of the 2024/25, but when he did play, the 22-year-old showed his athleticism and scoring ability. In 47 healthy games, he averaged 15.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per contest.
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Chris Paul returned to Los Angeles and signed with the Clippers on a one-year deal last week. Paul showed strong interest in playing for one of his other former teams before making his decision, according to the latest Substack article from Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line.
The other team that Paul considered rejoining was the Suns. The team’s star, Devin Booker, was intrigued by the potential reunion, given how they meshed during Phoenix’s run to the 2021 NBA Finals. There was also seemingly a spot for Paul at the point, since Tyus Jones chose to sign with Orlando.
The Suns’ front office decided to go in another direction. Phoenix was much more interested in defensive stalwart Marcus Smart, who chose to sign with the Lakers after reaching a buyout with Washington. Phoenix’s brass also had some concerns how the future Hall of Famer’s presence might create some awkward situations for first-year head coach Jordan Ott.
The Suns wound up claiming Jordan Goodwin off waivers and signing Jared Butler to a non-guaranteed contract. Paul also drew interest from the Hornets, Mavericks and Bucks, as previously reported.
Citing a source, Stein said Dallas had D’Angelo Russell higher on its wish list than Paul. The Mavs’ brass believed Russell would be more comfortable in a complementary role once Kyrie Irving returns from his knee ailment. They also felt Russell was a better fit with Anthony Davis, considering they had played together with the Lakers. Russell signed a two-year deal with the Mavs.
Here’s more nuggets from The Stein Line: