Anyone who thought that the corporate upheaval that Mat Ishbia is dealing with would leak into his team, the Phoenix Suns majority owner himself has set the record straight. Ishbia delivered an unequivocal message regarding the future of franchise cornerstone Devin Booker. It presents good news to fans who worry that Phoenix’s blank-check days are over or that the team or its stars could opt for free agency.
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It happened when the Michigan native was seemingly in his home state. In a shaky fan-taken video that surfaced online, the outspoken team governor revealed that Booker would be in the Valley for as long as he is in charge, and he ruled out a return to Booker’s home state of Michigan to play for the Detroit Pistons.
When a fan in Michigan pressed, “Can you trade Devin Booker to the Pistons? Do it for the love, you’re from here, c’mon,” Ishbia cut off the suggestion with zero hesitation.
“When I’m dead,” Ishbia shot back in a video posted to social media. “Devin Booker will never be a Detroit Piston. I am from here [Michigan], and I don’t care about the Pistons at all.”
Despite widespread player movement across the NBA, the exit of Kevin Durant, rumors about other teams courting Book, and growing external chatter surrounding Phoenix’s long-term financial landscape, Ishbia publicly shut down any notion of trading the 5x All-Star guard.
Both the fan and Ishbia reference the owner’s own roots as a Michigan native and former Michigan State basketball player,
Not only Ishbia, but Booker grew up in Grand Rapids and was a local high school basketball star before heading to Kentucky. But he’s never expressed his intent to play in his home state.
Ishbia’s definitive statement underlines the unbreakable bond between the franchise and its longest-tenured star. Drafted 13th overall by Phoenix in 2015, Booker has served as the anchor of the organization through multiple coaching changes and ownership shifts.
Over 11 seasons in Phoenix, the 29-year-old guard has posted career averages of 24.6 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game while shooting 45.6 percent from the field.
Having already signed a massive long-term contract extension that locks him in through the 2029–30 season, Booker remains central to Ishbia’s vision of keeping the Suns in top-tier Western Conference contention well into his 30s.
Mat Ishbia and Devin Booker navigating Phoenix Suns’ transition
Since Ishbia confirmed his intent to retain Devin Booker, he’s been navigating a $600 million upheaval on the business side. After a deal fell through, his lending business, UWM, stopped dividend payouts. Moreover, as Ishbia put stock as collateral with JPMorgan to fund the acquisition of the Phoenix Suns and Mercury, NBA fans worried that the owner would be forced to sell.
However, UWM’s side confirmed that there’s plenty in Ishbia’s family’s funds to repay JPMorgan, and it will not impact the basketball teams in any way.
Since taking ownership of the Suns, Ishbia has authorized major roster shakeups that saw stars like Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal depart Phoenix in various trades and transactions.
Dealing with the heavy punitive constraints of the NBA’s second luxury tax apron, the Suns front office has been forced to revamp its supporting core through cost-effective free agency additions and tactical retooling rather than mega-blockbuster deals.
They’ve recently signed Dillon Brooks to a three-year, $73 million contract, and his acquisition has been a breath of fresh air for the team. Under Jordan Ott, it appears the Suns’ priority is making Book and Brooks’ partnership work.
The owner’s refusal to consider trading Booker comes at a critical juncture for both Phoenix and Detroit. The Pistons, led by franchise point guard Cade Cunningham, have been searching for elite perimeter scoring to solidify their backcourt, especially amid stalled extension talks with center Jalen Duren, pending negotiations with Ausar Thompson, and the loss of veteran Tobias Harris.
While landing a superstar of Booker’s caliber would instantly catapult Detroit into top-tier Eastern Conference status, Ishbia completely slammed the door on assisting his home state’s franchise.
Meanwhile, Phoenix is working to maximize Booker’s athletic prime after navigating a turbulent 2025–26 campaign. The Suns finished 45–37 last season, surviving the Play-In Tournament by defeating the Golden State Warriors before getting swept by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round.
Ishbia remains firmly committed to maintaining financial aggressiveness to keep the Suns in the fight. While financial fallout and second-apron limitations continue to alter how contender rosters are constructed, Ishbia has made one constant perfectly clear: Devin Booker will remain the face of the Phoenix Suns as long as he runs the team.