It’s been a tough year for Devin Booker. What was supposed to be a powerhouse season for the Phoenix Suns—with their star-studded “Big Three” of Booker, Kevin Durant, and Bradley Beal—crashed and burned into a disappointing 36-46 finish. The Suns missed the playoffs, Durant was traded to the Houston Rockets, and now the franchise is scrambling to untangle itself from the financial weight of Beal’s massive contract. Meanwhile, Booker has been quietly forging his own path this offseason, and his latest appearance has fans buzzing.

On Saturday, Booker was spotted at Comerica Park, catching a Detroit Tigers game and linking up with Tigers ace Tarik Skubal. This wasn’t just a celebrity cameo. The two athletes exchanged jerseys, Booker sported a Detroit cap, and the Tigers’ official Instagram commemorated the moment with the caption, “Skub x Book.” Skubal, clearly hyped, dropped into the comments and wrote, “Those cleats 🔥.”

Those cleats were no accident. Booker gifted Skubal a custom pair of his signature Nike Book 1s—a bright orange colorway—along with a personalized message on the box: “13K. Good s—brother,” and then he signed it with his name “Book.”

In a video of the exchange, Skubal can be heard calling them “f—— dope” and asking if more were coming. Booker responded, “These are numbered on the inside too… there are only 500 of these.” Skubal signed a glove for Booker, and then the two exchanged jerseys, to which Skubal said, “I’ll keep it in my locker room.” 

The gesture wasn’t just about shoes—it symbolized a budding friendship between two rising stars in their respective sports. Skubal had been spotted courtside at Suns games this past season, and now Booker was returning the favor. In a year riddled with locker room tension and on-court disappointment, this low-key, cross-sport connection felt like a breath of fresh air.

While Booker enjoys a much-needed offseason reset, the Suns’ front office is caught in a financial and strategic bind.

Bradley Beal’s $110 million contract—spread over two more years—has become an albatross. ESPN’s Zach Lowe didn’t mince words, calling the situation a “disaster.“ Beal holds a rare no-trade clause, giving him full control over any potential move. And according to Fred Katz of The Athletic, Beal has no intention of leaving Phoenix.

The Suns’ options are slim. They can’t waive and stretch Beal’s deal due to NBA cap restrictions. The only workaround would require Beal to forfeit nearly $14 million—an outcome Zach Lowe bluntly called unrealistic: “I’m not sure why he would give back money.” That leaves a trade as the sole escape route. The Miami Heat have been repeatedly floated as a potential landing spot, with a theoretical package centered around Duncan Robinson and Terry Rozier. But Lowe noted the Heat have had previous opportunities to acquire Beal and passed. What would change now?

Even if Beal were open to the right move, his idea of a “right destination” is narrow. The Athletic reports his family has already relocated multiple times in the past two years—from D.C. to L.A. to Phoenix. Another move could mean uprooting his kids again or living apart from them, neither of which Beal is eager to do.

So, as the Suns juggle a nearly immovable contract, Devin Booker is focused on more meaningful connections and long-term goals, on and off the court. And with a looming contract extension on the horizon, one thing is clear: Booker is the future Phoenix can’t afford to fumble.

“He is expected to get that offer and to sign it”: Devin Booker’s historic extension and a future in Phoenix

According to a recent report on ESPN’s Get Up, Devin Booker is on the verge of signing a historic two-year, $150 million contract extension that would keep him in Phoenix. “He is expected to get that offer and to sign it,” said Brian Windhorst. The deal would average a staggering $75 million per year, the richest annual salary in NBA history.

It’s a stunning amount, but also a clear signal that the Suns view Booker as the cornerstone of their future. And according to Windhorst, that feeling is mutual. “Booker has been highly engaged with them this offseason on their coaching search and their Kevin Durant trade,” he said. This is more than just a payday; it’s a superstar reaffirming his commitment to the franchise that drafted him.

But Windhorst has also issued a stark warning about the environment Booker is navigating—an environment many believe is deeply unfair to him. Earlier this month, on The Hoop Collective podcast, Windhorst tore into the Suns’ dysfunction: “They have no control over their drafts for the next several years, they’re in cap hell.”

And then there’s the owner. Mat Ishbia reportedly sent a company-wide memo apologizing for being too hands-off early in his tenure and promising to be more involved going forward. Windhorst called this approach “completely misguided and counterproductive,” especially considering that Ishbia already had a heavy hand in acquiring both Durant and Beal.

This has left Booker in some impossible positions. According to Windhorst, during the most recent coaching search, which landed them with Jordan Ott, Booker was presented with five finalists—none of whom had any head coaching experience—and was basically asked to pick one. “It’s unfair to him to have to ratify a coaching hire,” Windhorst said, pointing out that such a decision places all the future blame on Booker if it doesn’t pan out.

And the situation might be even more complicated than it appears. Zach Harper of The Athletic recently suggested on the “Basketball Illuminati” podcast that the Suns’ ownership group might be facing financial strain. While Mat Ishbia is a billionaire on paper, much of his net worth is tied up in pledged stock from his company, United Wholesale Mortgage, which was used to finance his $4 billion purchase of the team. That raises concerns about how liquid his assets really are. Even though the Suns paid the highest luxury tax in the league last season—a whopping $152.2 million—fans are wondering if that kind of spending is sustainable for a non-playoff team. If the money starts drying up, things could get even messier.

Still, amid all this chaos, there is Devin Booker—steady, loyal, and locked in. The Beal contract is a boulder. But the Booker era? That might just be the beginning. And the weight of the franchise has never rested more squarely on his shoulders.