This NBA offseason has delivered some of the wildest trades and payouts fans have seen in years. Devin Booker’s latest contract extension might be the most shocking yet. There’s no questioning the 28-year-old shooting guard’s talent, but his new deal is still sending chills through the league. He reportedly agreed to a two-year, $145 million extension with the Phoenix Suns, securing his future through 2030. And as legends like Charles Barkley to seasoned analysts everyone’s weighing in on Booker’s massive payday; the truth behind the deal now comes out.

The Suns hope Booker becomes a stabilizing force amid Arizona’s ongoing roster uncertainty. And remember, he still has three seasons remaining on his four-year, $224 million Supermax extension signed in July 2022. Altogether, Booker will earn $316 million over the next five seasons. But with Phoenix even parting ways with Kevin Durant, why make such a bold, extravagant move for Booker? Former American sports executive David Samson recently dissected that very question, breaking down the franchise’s reasoning.

On a recent episode of the Nothing Personal podcast, David Samson unpacked Phoenix’s aggressive move to extend Devin Booker’s contract. He emphasized that in today’s NBA, you simply can’t win a championship without a legitimate superstar leading your roster. “You can’t win without a superstar. And Devin Booker is our superstar.” He stated. Samson suggested Booker remains the franchise’s immovable tentpole, the player around whom everything must orbit.

He further explained, “We’ve got Devin Booker signed for a bunch of years. But we’re going to give him two more years because the CBA allows us to go that far out. So we’re going to give him the maximum amount of money we can.” One can argue that this move is both strategic and sentimental. But the truth is, it’s designed to anchor the franchise’s future around Booker’s reliable star power, and no front office in the NBA is leaking dollars out of sentiments.

After analyzing the idea, there is no denying the fact that Devin Booker has evolved into the Suns’ offensive cornerstone. Devin was drafted 13th overall out of Kentucky in 2015, and since then, he has made himself a household name for the franchise. This Suns’ shooting guard owns franchise records for career points (16,452) and three-pointers (1,424). To put the icing on the cake, his 24.4 points per game career average trails only behind Charlie Scott in team history (among players with a minimum of 200 games played for the Suns). And also, don’t forget that Booker spearheaded Phoenix’s 2021 NBA Finals run. It was the franchise’s first title appearance in nearly three decades.

But despite those splashy acquisitions like Durant and Bradley Beal in 2023, the Suns couldn’t crack the Western Conference Finals. They bowed out early, dismissed coach Mike Budenholzer, and shipped Durant to Houston on July 6. But through all the chaos, Booker remained a metronome of consistency. He averaged 25.6 points and 7.1 assists last season, which is his ninth consecutive year scoring at least 22 points. So yes, the Suns had compelling reasons to go all-in on retaining their franchise pillar. And many analysts, including the ever-outspoken Charles Barkley, couldn’t be more thrilled.

Charles Barkley reacts to Devin Booker’s stunning contract extension

After this new two-year deal, the Phoenix Suns are handing Booker every dollar they’re legally allowed, the moment league rules permit it. The extension also places his average annual salary higher than any NFL player on the planet. Safe to say, it’s a monumental payday for both Booker and the Phoenix Suns. And according to Barkley, that kind of money should have Booker floating on air. 

On a recent episode of The Dan Patrick Show, Barkley quipped, “He should be the happiest person. He should go around. He should just go around shaking people’s hands.” Hard to disagree when you’re cashing $70 million checks every year. Barkley added his signature brand of humor, saying, “Well, he’s gonna be happy twice a month. The first and the 15th, he going to be real damn happy…Devin Booker, who’s a hell of a player, going to make $70 million to dribble a stupid basketball. Why shouldn’t he be in a good mood? He’s the luckiest dude in the world.”

Still, beneath all the fanfare and fat checks lies a looming question: can Devin Booker justify the Suns’ towering faith? Especially after they cut ties with a superstar of Kevin Durant’s caliber, choosing instead to build around Booker’s steady hand. The NBA world will be watching to see if he can shoulder the weight of those expectations.