Phoenix Suns: 3 goals for Devin Booker in 2018-19

1. Solve Phoenix’s point guard problem (temporarily)

On top of the aforementioned categories the 2017-18 Phoenix Suns ranked dead last in, they also ranked 29th in assists per game and 30th in 3-point percentage. One of the primary reasons? This was their point guard rotation:

• The first two-way contract to be given a real deal, Mike James
• “Waived Man Walking” Tyler Ulis
• 3 games of a version of Eric Bledsoe that didn’t give a s**t
• 19 games of Isaiah Canaan before suffering a gruesome ankle injury
• G League call-up Shaquille Harrison
• The Weeknd disguised as Elfrid Payton

Is it any wonder the Suns’ most stable presence at the 1 was Devin Booker playing out of position?

For those who have been forced to digest Phoenix basketball the past few years, it’s no secret Booker’s NBA identity veers more toward a playmaking 2 a la James Harden than it does the spot-up shooting, Klay Thompson archetype he was supposed to be coming into the league.

However, expecting Booker to embody the same court vision, ability to bend defenses to his will and passing prowess of the reigning MVP would be unfair. This season, he’ll be closer to a better playmaking version of Bradley Beal, rather than the next Harden.

For the time being though, he might be the Suns’ best option at the 1, considering these are their other choices:

• Routine third-stringer Isaiah Canaan
• Second round rookie Elie Okobo
• Second round rookie De’Anthony Melton
• 38-year-old Jamal Crawford, who is a shooting guard

At Media Day, the recently fired McDonough foreshadowed the axe no one knew was hovering over his head by unknowingly touching on his biggest offseason failure:

"“One of the things we told [Booker] at the end of last season during the exit meetings and early in the summer is, ‘We’ll make it easier for you,'” he said."

Whoops. Not getting a starting-caliber point guard was a clear failure to make Booker’s life easier, placing more burden on him to clean up his turnovers while operating as a primary ball-handler — something he can handle in spots, but shouldn’t be expected to take care of full-time.

However, McDonough’s words about how Booker handled that situation last year rang true, and there’s no question his ability to manipulate pick-and-rolls is on the up-and-up.

"“What he’s been able to do with some of the lineups he’s played with the last couple years has been pretty remarkable, just given the defensive attention, the traps that have been thrown at him, teams doubling him and trying to get the ball out of his hands,” McDonough said."

This year, with yet another pu-pu platter at the point, Devin Booker might have to harness his inner James Harden and temporarily fill the team’s gaping hole at the 1. Until interim GM James Jones can swing a deal for the established, defensively oriented or pass-first point guard this team needs to complement its star and fully empower him, Book might be the Suns’ best option.