Phoenix Suns: 5 reasons they won’t make the playoffs in 2017-18

3. Booker’s third-year leap won’t be THAT big

A player’s third or fourth year in the league is typically when NBA superstars make the leap into the upper echelon. Despite only being 20 years old, Devin Booker has set expectations for his third season exceedingly high.

Whether it’s the 22.1 points per game he averaged last year, being hyped up by guys like Kevin Durant and LeBron James, or simply highlights from his offseason workouts, Book is being labeled as the next primetime scorer in this league.

To be fair, Booker has to round out the other areas of his game — particularly on the defensive end — before he earns that “superstar” reputation. But there’s no question the future is bright, and expecting him to average around 25 points per game on more efficient shooting splits in 2017-18 is not unreasonable.

With that being said, it’s important to note that he’ll begin this third season before he even turns 21. His defense is going to be a long-term focus, and for as much individual progress as Booker is expected to make in a possible breakout year, he doesn’t project to be the kind of premier talent that can make his teammates better or carry them to wins just yet.

That very well may be his NBA destiny down the road, but expecting all of that to click in Year 3 with such a young supporting cast is a bit of a stretch.