Suns, Devin Booker agree to 2-year $145m extension

Suns, Devin Booker agree to 2-year $145m extension

We’ve got breaking news out of the NBA where Devin Booker and the Suns have agreed to a two-year $145 million extension through 2030. That’s per reports. The four-time all-star has spent his entire 10ear career in Phoenix averaging just over 25 a.5 points and seven assists per game last season. Booker is now set to earn $316 million with the Suns over the next five seasons. And for more on this breaking news, we bring in CBS Sports NBA writer James Herbert. And James, Phoenix giving as much money as they are legally allowed to give Devin Booker with this massive extension. They take care of their franchise star. First off, what’s your reaction to this news after everything that has taken place in Phoenix just these past few months? Yeah, I think it reinforces everything that Devin Booker has said about his commitment to the Phoenix Suns organization and it reinforces everything that Matt Ishbia has said about the Suns commitment to him. I mean, I think it’s easy for a lot of people to look at this Phoenix situation and say, why don’t the Suns just trade Deon Booker and start over? And why doesn’t Devin Booker just want to get out of there and go to a team that has a more realistic shot of winning a championship? But for for those involved, for those on the inside, I mean, I don’t think there was ever much doubt um about this relationship continuing. And um this is a show of faith in each other. I mean, for for from Phoenix’s perspective, it’s a show of faith in Booker continuing to be an allNBA caliber player um as he gets into kind of the meat of his prime. Um and from Booker, it’s a big time um show of faith in the organization in the front office specifically um in terms of you know signing up um to stay with a team that as presently constructed does not really look like a championship contender. Might not even be a playoff team um next season, but he’s you know pledged that he wants to win there. He wants to stay there. He wants to be one of those guys that spends his whole career with one team if possible. Also, you know, I mean, the money isn’t bad, but I think also, you know, this is a sign that Booker does have some faith, some belief in what the organization is trying to do. So, he has faith in your mind that the organization is trying to do the right thing to help them get back to the NBA finals and actually win it. You brought up how this roster currently constructed is not one that’s probably going to compete for a championship. So, what do they need to do in order to get with, you know, the Houston Rockets, right? of course, you know, who made some big moves, you know, the Oklahoma City Thunder, who will be a contender for years to come, you know, as long as they keep everybody together. Yeah. I mean, they’re a long way away, honestly. I mean, after the Durant trade, you look at what’s left on the roster, then you look at the possibility um I mean, it’s reported they’re going to to wave and stretch Bradley Beal really soon. And in a contrast to what the Bucks did with Damen Lillard, waving Bradley Beal won’t necessarily put the Suns in a position to go and add a whole bunch of other pieces to the roster and give them a bunch of flexibility. It’ll just, you know, it’ll save them money. Um, and that’s a big deal for ownership. Uh, but I’m not sure that that um really changes the Sun’s outlook. In fact, it just sort of ensures that they will have this dead money on their books for for the next 5 years. So, I’m not super optimistic about the Suns putting together a championship caliber roster um over the life of this contract. Honestly, they’re they’re in a pretty rough spot. But, could they be competitive? Could they be a playoff team? Maybe. I mean, this year it’s going to be tough. Like, the West is really really loaded. Um but, you know, they they added a couple of young bigs this summer like Devin uh Dylan Brooks who they got in the Durant deal will like add to their defense and be really tough on that end. We’ll we’ll see what else they do. There’s been some rumors maybe they’ll look to reunite with Chris Paul or something like that. I’m interested to see what else is to come, but you know, the Suns don’t have a ton of flexibility here. And if you just look at how their roster is laid out right now, I don’t know that anybody sees them as a team that could make a ton of noise. Yeah, I’m with you on that. I mean, he’s getting paid 72.5 million average annual value. That’s more than any player in the NFL, James, which is crazy to think about just the amount of money that he’s getting paid. It’s almost like he’s getting paid a million dollars, right, for each game at 72.5. We’re getting close to that. I just want to ask you, what do you make of these video game uh contracts that we’re seeing from these players year in and year out? Yeah, I mean it it’s a reflection that the league is in a really good place and that the league just signed a really favorable uh new TV deal because as the the league’s revenue goes up, so too do player salary. It’s a pretty simple formula, right? And I think there will be sort of sticker shock to some for some viewers who are just looking at at these numbers and thinking, “Wow, this is so crazy. This is a lot different than what I grew up with or what like the stars of a generation ago were able to earn during the span of their careers.” But the NBA is in a different place. It’s in a healthier place financially than it ever has been. Um, and you have to sort of look at this as a percentage of the salary cap. If you’re thinking from a team building perspective, that has not really changed recently. It’s just that the salary cap is going to get bigger and bigger and bigger as this new TV money rolls in. So, the projected value of all of these contracts for these guys who would have been max contract guys anyway, they’re just naturally going to look larger. But um ideally, you know, the way that this is supposed to work is that you are a star player who gets drafted, stays with that team, continues signing extensions, um you will be able to make an enormous amount of money. It’s just the way that the NBA works now. Those numbers look bigger than they ever have before. Um but I don’t think there’s much question that the Booker is a max player and I don’t think anybody can really fault him for making as much as he can get. It’s just it’s still a weird looking at those numbers. Right. Right. It’s very weird. And who he maybe he never is able to, you know, hoist the Larry O’Brien trophy, but he will be comfortably his family, his kids, right? They will all be set when you look at that contract. James Herbert, we appreciate the insight, man. Thanks for having me. Of course. And look, Devin Booker is the highest paid player when you look at the NBA, the NHL, NFL, and Major League Baseball. He’s $2.5 million above Show Otani. Again, 70 average annual value. And then you have SBA 68.1 million. Just just stupid money. [Music]

James Herbert joins CBS Sports HQ to talk about the Suns and Devin Booker agreeing to an extension.

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