00:00Suns fans, let's cut straight through the noise. Over the past few weeks a wave of national
00:05speculation has been asking whether the Phoenix Suns and Devin Booker would be better off parting
00:10ways. The conversation has been loud, persistent, and often takes on a life of its own, far from
00:15the desert. But on Thursday, team owner Matt Ishbia stepped to the microphone and made his
00:20stance unmistakably clear, leaving no room for misinterpretation. Devin Booker's our franchise
00:26player. I love Devin Booker. Devin Booker loves being here, Ishbia told reporters during his end
00:32of season press conference. Our coach loves Devin Booker. Our GM loves Devin Booker. Devin Booker's
00:39going to be here. Devin Booker's going to lead us to a championship, here, in Phoenix. That's what
00:45he's going to do. We're going to build the right team around him. He's going to get better, just like
00:49I'm going to get better, just like everyone in our organization. I'll ride into a fire with Devin
00:54Booker and I'll do it proudly. He's going to have my back. I'm going to have his back. Devin
00:59Booker's our guy. The national media just says stuff to say stuff sometimes. Sometimes I like to
01:04respond. Sometimes I don't. Devin Booker's not getting traded. That full-throated vote of
01:10confidence arrives at a moment when the outside chatter had reached a fever pitch. After the Suns
01:15were swept by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round of the NBA playoffs, a place they were not
01:20expected to sniff heading into the year, the Booker discussion gained serious traction on a national
01:25level. ESPN First Take host Stephen A. Smith was among the prominent voices, pushing the idea,
01:32stating his belief that Booker has grown too comfortable in Phoenix and is no longer starving
01:36to win. He and analyst Kendrick Perkins then went a step further, directly linking Booker to his hometown
01:43Detroit Pistons. I believe Devin Booker is a certified number two, a Robin to a Batman that a guy like
01:50Cade Cunningham that you brought up is missing, Perkins said. Cade Cunningham, Devin Booker in
01:55the backcourt, now you got smoke. To understand everything behind the debate, let's look at the
02:02numbers and the context without distortion. Booker, who has four years and a combined $250 million left
02:09on his contract, is coming off a regular season, 64 starts, during which he averaged 26.1 points on
02:1645.6% shooting and 33% from deep. He added 3.9 rebounds and 6 assists across 33.5
02:24minutes per game
02:25on his way to his fifth all-star nod. His play was a meaningful part of Phoenix making a surprise
02:30run to the playoffs under first-year head coach Jordan Ott. In the postseason, Book's production
02:34did dip. He averaged 21.3 points on 46% shooting and 25% from three-point range, chipping in
02:414.3 rebounds
02:43and 4.8 assists per game. He posted career playoff lows in both points and three-point percentage.
02:50Ishbia, however, doesn't seem concerned. So here we are, Suns faithful, after an owner declares he
02:56will proudly ride into the fire with his franchise centerpiece. And after the numbers show both star
03:02level production and a postseason slump, the question for you is simple. Does a presence this
03:07definitive from the top finally kill the trade noise, or will another season of high expectations
03:12and early playoff pain only fuel it louder than ever?
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