Devin Booker has never been a player to fade into the background. Eleven seasons into his career, the Suns guard has stacked up four All-Star nods, an Olympic gold medal, and the franchise scoring record with 15,667+ points. Yet ask anyone around the NBA what still defines him, and the answer comes back sharp to 2021. That Finals run, the near-miss against Milwaukee, the heartbreak of being two wins short. Booker carries it like a chip on his shoulder. And when he stepped to the mic at Suns Media Day on September 24, he left little doubt that the mission remains unfinished.

“From being at the bottom and… almost getting the job done, I have unfinished business here,” Booker said. “It’s my job as a leader, my responsibility as a franchise player to communicate to everybody the importance of basketball in this town.” Strong words, but for Phoenix, words alone don’t fix a 36-46 season. The franchise has been flipped upside down since Kevin Durant was shipped to Houston.

In return came Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, and lottery pick Khaman Maluach. A youth-heavy core, talented but unproven, surrounds Booker. And the job of proving Ishbia right about the Durant gamble? That falls on Booker’s shoulders. Owner Mat Ishbia earlier didn’t hold back words either.

His public stance was blunt: “[Kevin Durant] just wasn’t a fit for what we’re doing going forward.” This was just a firm belief that this roster is better set for the long haul. For Booker, that means pressure. Every win validates the pivot. Every stumble reopens the KD question. The irony, though? Durant still produced last year. 26.6 points per game, 6 rebounds, 4.2 assists. He was hardly washed.

Which means Booker, now in his prime at 28, has to show the franchise didn’t just downgrade. Instead, he has to prove that his leadership, paired with Phoenix’s new pieces, can form something durable. That too, with the Suns’ new $30 million TV deal. It helps that Booker’s contract locks him into this mission.

His $145 million extension keeps him in Phoenix through 2030. He already passed franchise icons like Walter Davis and Steve Nash in scoring. The next line on his resume has to be title winner. The Suns’ reshuffle makes his role even more layered. Green brings scoring flair but has never led a winning team. Brooks adds defense and edge, but consistency remains a question. Maluach is just 19, a 7’2 project with tempting upside. Add in coach Jordan Ott, a 40-year-old rookie head coach, and the margin for error shrinks. 

Devin Booker faces a defining season

Even Ott has chimed in earlier, saying, “First year head coach, to have a superstar, a guy that’s proven in this league, a guy that’s done it at every single level in the NBA, the Olympics. I think whatever’s happened in the past has happened in the past… This is his team.” There’s history here. Booker has been through the worst of Phoenix Suns basketball. From 19-win seasons in his early years to carrying lineups that barely belonged in the league, he’s seen the bottom. The Finals run in 2021 gave him a taste of the top, but it wasn’t enough. That’s what makes this new era tricky. He knows exactly how fleeting opportunities can be.

He’s also one of the NBA’s rare modern stars who never bolted. Drafted in 2015, he stayed loyal through losing seasons, ownership changes, and roster chaos. It’s why his “unfinished business” line resonated. Fans believe him because they watched him survive the critical years without asking out. But loyalty doesn’t erase pressure. Booker now becomes the measuring stick for Ishbia’s bold decisions.

Was it smart to cut ties with Durant? Can Green blossom next to him? Can Brooks be more than a defensive stopper? And can Booker maintain his efficiency while carrying even more weight? Last year, he averaged 25.6 points and 7.1 assists on 46.1% shooting. What gives Phoenix hope is his adaptability. Booker’s not just a scorer anymore. He’s developed into a genuine playmaker, comfortable initiating offense and setting tempo. That versatility is why the Suns trust him to anchor a roster filled with question marks.

From a financial lens, though, Phoenix is already pot-committed. With Booker, Green, and Brooks all on significant deals, and Maluach locked in as a lottery pick, there’s little room for another superstar splash. This makes the bet clear: Booker must be the superstar, Green the rising star, Brooks the glue, and Ott the fresh voice. Because NBA history isn’t kind to stars who stall out without a ring.

Devin Booker knows it. That’s why every word he spoke at Media Day carried weight. “Although we didn’t get it done in ‘21, I was able to see it go from the bottom almost to the top,” he said. “It wasn’t easy, but just understanding that it’s an everyday grind and it starts right now.” So here we are. The Suns have retooled, Ishbia has doubled down, and Booker has declared the business unfinished.

What comes next is about proving that this version of Phoenix basketball is worth the gamble. Booker’s stats won’t define the next chapter of his career. It will be defined by whether he can turn a roster in flux into a contender. And the countdown starts now.