Good Phoenix Suns need Devin Booker to be great

Despite a solid start, the Phoenix Suns need Devin Booker to return to his star form if they are to make legitimate noise in the Western Conference.

Everything made so much more sense over the offseason. Devin Booker, the player who had done so much individually in a yearly attempt to lift the Phoenix Suns out of the cellars, was finally given a roster that could do those pursuits justice.

Through these first 12 games, the Suns appear primed to end an 11-year playoff drought at 8-4, good for fourth in the west, but Booker is hardly as big a factor in that success as everyone expected.

22.1 points, 4.3 assists and 3.3 rebounds per game are not averages to scoff at. Unless each represents a noticeable decline from the previous season’s numbers with similar playing time and shot attempts.

PTS: 26.6–>22.1

AST: 6.5–>4.3

REB: 4.3–>3.3

MIN: 35.9–>35.4

FGA 18.3–>17.0

Life was supposed to be made less strenuous by the additions of Chris Paul, a floor general to ease the growing playmaking burden Booker had assumed, and Jae Crowder, a rugged floor-spacing forward.

Along with the continued development of Mikal Bridges, Deandre Ayton and Cameron Johnson, Phoenix offered a prop for Booker to elevate his standing, to earn the All-Star consideration that had eluded him, with a realistic shot at the postseason for the first time in his career. He simply had to seize the opportunity and lead the way, but doing so has proven harder than expected.

As a lone desert wolf, Booker grew accustomed to having teammates fit in around him. Within a roster that goes at least 10 deep — including impressive guard play from several — that script has been flipped if only a bit. Book is having to learn to play off teammates more than he has since his rookie season sharing the court with Eric Bledsoe and then Brandon Knight.

It’s no surprise that those struggles reemerge at a time when Booker is sharing the backcourt with another ball-dominant floor general. CP3’s presence has positively impacted the Suns beyond the hardwood, but the on-court relationship between the two remains a work in progress. Phoenix isn’t particularly effective with both on the court, posting a negative-5.8 net rating in 283 minutes of action. That’s the third-worst on the Suns among two-man combos with at least 250 minutes.

Probably the most startling aspect of Bookers early play isn’t the dip in production or the lack of early-season chemistry but rather the volume of possessions he’s throwing away.

Booker currently ranks eighth in turnovers per game at 3.9. Playing alongside teammates both new and emerging can result in miscommunication likely to be ironed out over time. That only explains a handful of the giveaways he’s committed so far. Others range from downright awful passing to questionable decision making to the alarming trend of leaving his feet without any idea of what will follow.

The two Los Angeles teams occupy the top two spots in the west. After that, the rest of the conference playoff picture remains up for grabs.

A second-round beatdown at the hands of the Lakers or Clippers might not be the type of finish perennial playoff participants like Denver or Utah are hoping for. The young Suns will gladly take a learning experience that would signify a tremendous step taken in the direction of contender status.

Currently slotted in the No. 4 spot, Phoenix is as close to the third seed as it is to 10th. Depth is a nice luxury but stars are the ultimate necessity to establish a spot in the postseason. The Suns aren’t getting any favors when a four-point loss to the Memphis Grizzlies is highlighted by their leading man scoring just two fourth-quarter points on 1-of-7 shooting and 5-of-21 overall.

That Phoenix has gotten off to such an encouraging start despite a slow one from Booker speaks highly to the quality of roster James Jones has assembled.

Booker will find his place among them, even if a week-long COVID-induced absence delays that turning point. Not only is he too talented not to, but those pieces were put into place with full consideration of they would mesh with the face of the franchise.

Strange starts are nothing out of the ordinary in a season where the reigning Eastern Conference champions sit 12th in the standings, the Cleveland Cavaliers have a top-two defense and the New York Knicks currently hold a playoff spot.

The Suns just hope the one for Booker wears off soon to get their postseason bid picking up greater amounts of momentum.