“It’s not always greener on the other side… You’ll never have the love that you get from the team that drafted you. It’s great people here… I’ll never be in a rebuild again.” With those words, Devin Booker made it crystal clear: Phoenix isn’t just his current home—it’s his forever home. But after a disastrous season that saw the Suns’ “Big Three” experiment implode and the team miss the playoffs entirely, Booker’s promise to never be in a rebuild again is being put to the ultimate test. And now, the Suns have responded with a historic, and very expensive, vote of confidence.

The franchise has been in turmoil. As ESPN’s Brian Windhorst described it on his podcast, the Suns are in “cap he–,” with no control over their future draft picks and a roster that is in desperate need of a retool. It’s a situation that Windhorst has called one of the “worst in the history of the NBA,” — a mess created by an owner who is now vowing to be more hands-on. And stuck right in the middle of it all is Devin Booker.

But on Wednesday night, in a special meeting in Las Vegas, the Suns made it clear that they are committed to their star. The news broke via a bombshell tweet from ESPN’s Shams Charania: “BREAKING: Phoenix Suns superstar Devin Booker has agreed to a two-year, $145 million maximum contract extension with the franchise through the 2029-30 season, the highest annual extension salary in NBA history, CAA’s Jessica Holtz and Melvin Booker told ESPN.”

In a follow-up post, Charania revealed the details of the “special Vegas meet” that sealed the deal. “Booker and owner Mat Ishbia met in Las Vegas tonight to finalize the contract,” he wrote, “which cements Booker’s commitment to the Suns vision for the future and him as the franchise’s leader moving forward. Booker now has five years and $316 million total on his Suns deal.” It’s the kind of money that is reserved for the absolute best of the best. And he deserves every penny of it.

His resume already reads like a legend in the making: 10 seasons in Phoenix, the franchise’s all-time leader in points (16,452) and three-pointers (1,424), seven consecutive seasons averaging at least 25 points per game. Even during a disappointing 2024-25 campaign that saw him snubbed from the All-Star team, Booker still averaged 25+ points, 7.1 assists, and shot over 46% from the field.

Beyond the numbers too, Booker’s value lies in his loyalty and leadership. As Windhorst pointed out last month, Booker is about to play for his fourth head coach in four years, and he was recently put in the “unfair” position of having to basically pick a coach for the team that landed them with Jordan Ott. For all that the franchise has put him through, Windhorst was correct in pointing out how Devin “better be getting that $150 million.” Hence, this historic extension isn’t just a contract, it’s a commitment, a promise from the front office that the Devin Booker era is just beginning.

However, Booker’s record-shattering extension isn’t the only big news to come out of Phoenix this week. According to multiple reports, Bradley Beal is close to a buyout agreement that would send him to the Los Angeles Clippers, with Chris Paul possibly coming back to the Valley for one last season.

A new era dawns around Devin Booker

The whole Bradley Beal experiment in Phoenix was pretty short-lived and, honestly, a bit of a disaster. A no-trade clause and a huge $110 million still owed over the next two years made Beal a really tough piece to move on a team that desperately needed more flexibility. Now, it looks like the Suns have found a way out.

Insider Xin Varlock reported that Beal’s buyout is happening soon and that CP3 will return to the Suns, signing for a part of the mid-level exception. It’s a financial fresh start that could give the Suns some much-needed breathing room—and a seasoned mentor for their promising young players.

For Booker, it all feels a bit like destiny. Chris Paul, the old point guard who helped make Book a superstar. He also helped lead the Suns to the NBA Finals in 2021—their first trip since 1993. And it couldn’t be happening at a better time. Jalen Green, who came over in the huge Kevin Durant trade, is expected to be a key player in the Suns’ new backcourt.

Suns GM Brian Gregory believes Booker and Green can succeed where the Booker-Beal pairing didn’t. “They’re both great with the ball. I think they can play off each other when they don’t have the ball,” Gregory said. “Our style of play, playing at a faster pace with better movement, is going to open up the court for both of them.”

Green’s aggressive drives to the basket and Booker’s smooth, all-around game could bring a fresh, energetic rhythm to Phoenix’s offense. On defense, Gregory sees them as smart players who can jump into passing lanes and cause trouble. Add Dillon Brooks, a tough defender who also came in the same seven-team trade that brought Green to Phoenix, and you start to see a grittier, quicker Suns team taking shape.

And the changes haven’t stopped there. The Suns brought in Isaiah Livers on a two-way contract and also got promising big men Mark Williams and Khaman Maluach. Gregory even pointed out that the medical team is confident they can keep Williams healthy for a long time. Meanwhile, Maluach is set to play in the Las Vegas Summer League this week, another piece in the slow, careful plan to surround Booker with young talent, depth, and players who can do a lot of different things.

Still, none of it really matters without Booker. That’s why the historic $145 million extension means more than just money and years. It’s a gamble—not just on Booker’s talent, but on his belief in what Phoenix can still become. He’s not rebuilding. He’s reloading. And he’s bringing the Valley with him.