The Phoenix Suns now have a choice to make.
Trading Kevin Durant was never really in much question. The only uncertainty was his destination, which we know now is Houston. But Devin Booker? That’s a tougher one.
The Suns didn’t totally tank in their return for Durant. They got back Jalen Green, an uber-talented if sometimes-frustrating athletic guard.
Phoenix could, if it didn’t want to go through a full rebuild, let Green and Booker play side by side and see what happens.
But Booker is a more valuable trade asset than Durant. The Suns could fill their coffers much more by trading him, too.
It really becomes a question of philosophy. Is owner Matt Ishiba willing to suffer through a couple losing seasons?
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The reality, as this past winter showed, is that the Suns might have those types of seasons coming, anyway.
The Bradley Beal contract is a two-ton weight on the Suns’ back. They can’t do anything about that nightmare.
All that’s left is to decide what to do with Booker. Yeah, he’s been the face of the franchise through an era that has mostly been good.
But it’s not good any longer. Durant is gone. And whether or not Booker is next will decide what the next decade of Suns basketball looks like.
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