Everything in Phoenix has to run through Devin Booker now. The Suns’ star guard reaffirmed his loyalty in July by signing a record-breaking two-year extension. This ties him to the franchise till 2030. He joined the Phoenix during its worst era in the lottery years and carried them to the 2021 Finals and now into a fresh new pre-season. He is already the Suns’ all-time leading scorer, so naturally all eyes are on him.

As preseason begins, the Suns are no longer in the “superteam” tier. Depth questions remain, and the Western Conference is brutally competitive. Yet, every game prototype Phoenix has drawn up revolves around Booker. He acknowledged as much at media day: “From being at the bottom and almost getting the job done, I have unfinished business here… That’s my job as a leader. It’s my responsibility of being a franchise player.”

Hence, Devin Booker is expected to play against the Lakers in the Suns’ preseason debut, per CBS Sports. The curiosity around his presence is not because of any injury In fact he is not injured at all, as per records. But his presence on the floor is significant.

The Suns traded away Kevin Durant in July and bought out Bradley Beal through trade, essentially stripping the roster of its main headliners. Head coach Mike Budenholzer was dropped after a single season, and new leadership is framing the team around Booker. According to Sports Illustrated, the plan is for him to run the offense full-time, shifting into a hybrid scoring-playmaking role. It’s a major gamble, but one Phoenix believes is necessary.

On top of that, the roster is still light in weight. Jalen Green is sidelined with a hamstring injury, and center Mark Williams is being held out by coach’s decision. On the Lakers’ side, Luka Dončić is reportedly out, LeBron James sustained injury during traning camp, Marcus Smart, and Maxi Kleber are all out. That makes Booker’s participation even more important. Without Green’s scoring and Williams’ size, Phoenix needs its leader to stabilize lineups and guide the younger pieces.

Preseason doesn’t count, but it reveals direction. New coach Jordan Ott wants energy, pressure, and relentless pace, and this is the first test of whether his philosophy holds up live. He doubled down:

“This is his team, and we’re lucky again that he not only plays for Phoenix, he wants to live here. I’ve been around to different teams, to have your superstar in the state, in the city, in the gym is a major luxury for us. We talked about how the gym is built by guys being in there and work(ing).”

Ott continued, “It starts at the top, and without his commitment with us in Phoenix, with the Phoenix Suns, (I’m) extremely, extremely grateful to him, and looking forward to continuing to build our relationship and see how this preseason into the regular season goes, and he’s going to be a great partner for us as we go forward.”

For Booker, tonight is about taking the floor, and showing that the team moves through him.

Devin Booker carries the weight of the franchise

According to Basketball Reference, Phoenix ranked 21st in offensive efficiency (114.1 points per 100 possessions) and finished bottom-10 in defensive rating, a sharp fall in recent years. Those flaws are magnified now with a fresh growing roster around Booker.

Rookies like Khaman Maluach can grow beside their franchise star. And that begins with Booker leading from the front. Booker, who turns 29 next month, averaged 27.5 points and 6.2 assists in 2024-25, is the only proven All-NBA caliber piece left to carry the dual burden of scoring and connectivity.

Suns owner Mat Ishbia admitted at media day, “Devin Booker is the franchise player … He’s been here his whole career … The best part about Devin is he wants to be here just like we want him here,”. This has come after multiple speculations grew around his tenure and stay with the Suns. Now this dual endorsement from the owner himself confirms that this franchise jumps or dips in Booker’s leadership.

But Booker has a support. Even though Jalen Green is sidelined for now, his role in Phoenix is to strengthen Booker’s role. The 6’4” guard is expected to share the backcourt with Booker, combining two dynamic scorers and playmakers, but with balance.

The Suns are intentionally giving Green the ball, encouraging him to assert himself as a creator, much like his 2023 season in Houston when he averaged 65.9 touches and 17.9 field-goal attempts per game. But for now, it is Booker alone, who faces the court.