Devin Booker is the greatest player EVER in Suns history

[Pda4976]

I said at the start of this thread, I think it is damn close, I had... probably still have Nash ahead, but it is getting closer and closer.

Booker is the better overall player but Nash's ability to elevate everyone around him was something that very few players have. Booker is starting to show the ability to lift up the talent around him... while also individually scoring at an insane level of efficiency. Nash had that ability too, but he just didn't look to shoot enough (even he laments it now).

I was going to say that 'if not for Booker's emergence and star quality, Sarver probably would have looked to move the team'......... but you could probably say the same for Nash too. If we hadn't landed Nash at the dawn of Sarver's ownership... who knows how dark things would have gotten.

Apologies for bringing up Sarver. We should probably make it a swear word.

He probably would have tried, but never would have succeeded. JC had become just about the most powerful man in basketball and would never allow the Suns to be moved as long as he was living.

 

[Carolinacacti]

It’s Booker. In the modern era

 

[Proximo]

It’s Booker. In the modern era

It's Booker in any era and I don't even think it's very close at this point.

 

[95pro]

It's Booker in any era and I don't even think it's very close at this point.

Even without diving into stats.

Nash and Barkley were never a Sun for their lifetime.

Only Barkley and Book made a finals appearance.

The sad part is the state of the NBA, where Book hasn't received many accolades in the form of MVP's, all NBA or all star appearances. In fact there's the narrative that he's not a superstar, and is also hated on in social media.

 

[Carolinacacti]

Hawkins was the better player

 

[AzStevenCal]

Hawkins was the better player

Connie was the most gifted player that ever wore a Phoenix uniform and he seemingly could dominate whenever he wanted to. But he was never quite the same once he was finally allowed into the NBA at the age of 27.

Players that had played with or against him prior to joining Phoenix tend to rank him in the top 5 or top 10 of all time but I don't think he ever consistently played at that level in the NBA other than for short stretches.

 

[ajcardfan]

Connie was the most gifted player that ever wore a Phoenix uniform and he seemingly could dominate whenever he wanted to. But he was never quite the same once he was finally allowed into the NBA at the age of 27.

Players that had played with or against him prior to joining Phoenix tend to rank him in the top 5 or top 10 of all time but I don't think he ever consistently played at that level in the NBA other than for short stretches.

He hurt his knee and had surgery the year before he joined the Suns. Surgery and rehab was not nearly as good back then.

 

[AzStevenCal]

He hurt his knee and had surgery the year before he joined the Suns. Surgery and rehab was not nearly as good back then.

Yeah I knew about the knee but we got so little information in that era, I had no idea of the extent of his injury/recovery. He was easily my favorite player back then but all the old timers (that I interacted with) used to rip him regularly for what they perceived as a lack of effort.

 

[Muggz]

If we had drafted Luka instead of Mr. Softee, do you think Booker would have advanced like he did?
Would Booker be better, worse or the same?

 

[BirdGangThing]

If we had drafted Luka instead of Mr. Softee, do you think Booker would have advanced like he did?
Would Booker be better, worse or the same?

whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger?

 

[Vacard]

If we had drafted Luka instead of Mr. Softee, do you think Booker would have advanced like he did?
Would Booker be better, worse or the same?

He would’ve demanded a trade. Kyrie always been the second man on a winning team so he accepted his role.

 

[Bufalay]

Connie was the most gifted player that ever wore a Phoenix uniform and he seemingly could dominate whenever he wanted to. But he was never quite the same once he was finally allowed into the NBA at the age of 27.

Players that had played with or against him prior to joining Phoenix tend to rank him in the top 5 or top 10 of all time but I don't think he ever consistently played at that level in the NBA other than for short stretches.

What about Shaq? Are you saying Hawkins was the most gifted during his time on the Suns? It's unclear from your post, but since I never saw him play I'm curious if you think Hawkins was more gifted than Shaq.

 

[AzStevenCal]

What about Shaq? Are you saying Hawkins was the most gifted during his time on the Suns? It's unclear from your post, but since I never saw him play I'm curious if you think Hawkins was more gifted than Shaq.

I debated this as I typed my post. I never really got to see Connie at his best except for highlights on ABC's Wide World of Sports. He was incredible at times when he first signed with the Suns but he wasn't always as engaged (perhaps due to injury?). I saw more greatness first hand from Shaq than I did from the Hawk but like I said, his peers put Connie up there with MJ and a few others so I wouldn't know which of them come out on top.

 

[GatorAZ]

If we had drafted Luka instead of Mr. Softee, do you think Booker would have advanced like he did?
Would Booker be better, worse or the same?

They’d get along fine because they’re both alphas that want to win.

 

[Hoop Head]

They’d get along fine because they’re both alphas that want to win.

Luka only wants to win if his way, Booker wants to win at any cost. There's a big difference. Luka has done nothing to indicate he wants to achieve greater team success over his career. He's never helped make a teammate better, quite the opposite in fact. The Mavericks have been better without Luka than with Luka over the last 5 years. That is evidence of his unwillingness to bend his game for the team's success.

 

[Covert Rain]

I still say Nash. Nothing against Booker. For me it comes down to this. Who would I want taking the last shot in a playoff game? No question it's Nash. Now factor in his insane passing. Booker has disappeared to many times for me in the playoffs. Now if he becomes more clutch in close games, I would have no issues changing my pick to Book. I have to see it more consistently first.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I still say Nash. Nothing against Booker. For me it comes down to this. Who would I want taking the last shot in a playoff game? No question it's Nash. Now factor in his insane passing. Booker has disappeared to many times for me in the playoffs. Now if he becomes more clutch in close games, I would have no issues changing my pick to Book. I have to see it more consistently first.

Nah, I'd much rather have Booker in a clutch situation. I'll give you the insane passing, there is no comparison between the two. And it's not like Steve hasn't come up short many times in the postseason. Most of it was refs allowing guys like Billups and Fisher to beat him up, strip the ball by hacking his forearms and such but still, it was a real problem made far worse in the postseason. IMO, Booker has disappeared in the playoffs occasionally but he's also been strong in postseason play. If I give Nash the edge overall it's his ability to make the players around him better.

 

[Phrazbit]

If we had drafted Luka instead of Mr. Softee, do you think Booker would have advanced like he did?
Would Booker be better, worse or the same?

Booker would be in another city by now.

No one wants to play with Luka.

 

[Mainstreet]

They’d get along fine because they’re both alphas that want to win.

I'm leaning this way as well. Great players want to be around great players.

 

[Covert Rain]

Nah, I'd much rather have Booker in a clutch situation. I'll give you the insane passing, there is no comparison between the two. And it's not like Steve hasn't come up short many times in the postseason. Most of it was refs allowing guys like Billups and Fisher to beat him up, strip the ball by hacking his forearms and such but still, it was a real problem made far worse in the postseason. IMO, Booker has disappeared in the playoffs occasionally but he's also been strong in postseason play. If I give Nash the edge overall it's his ability to make the players around him better.

Not me. Not only could Steve find an open lane that most people couldn't find but he has hit way more clutch shots than Book has. Again, I did say, if Book could be more consistent, I could change my mind. I have just seen him disappear to many times in huge games in the playoffs. To me that is the "next level" for Book.

 

[Phrazbit]

Not me. Not only could Steve find an open lane that most people couldn't find but he has hit way more clutch shots than Book has. Again, I did say, if Book could be more consistent, I could change my mind. I have just seen him disappear to many times in huge games in the playoffs. To me that is the "next level" for Book.

Agreed.

It's between Booker and Nash, no one else is even on the radar and, in my opinion, it is still Nash.

Two MVP awards, some absolutely bonkers playoff moments and, the 2006 run in particular... that team made the conference finals, had a real chance to win the whole thing... if Nash isn't on that roster it is probably a bottom 5 team in the entire NBA.

Booker has been amazing, if not for him, I don't know where we'd be... but even so... Nash still edges him. Booker just hasn't racked up either the accolades or the level of heroics to top Nash.

It's not a knock on Booker, but Nash was the engine on a team that was a 6 year contender.

I 100% expect that Booker WILL overtake Nash, title or not, but he isn't quite there yet.

 

[95pro]

Agreed.

It's between Booker and Nash, no one else is even on the radar and, in my opinion, it is still Nash.

Two MVP awards, some absolutely bonkers playoff moments and, the 2006 run in particular... that team made the conference finals, had a real chance to win the whole thing... if Nash isn't on that roster it is probably a bottom 5 team in the entire NBA.

Booker has been amazing, if not for him, I don't know where we'd be... but even so... Nash still edges him. Booker just hasn't racked up either the accolades or the level of heroics to top Nash.

It's not a knock on Booker, but Nash was the engine on a team that was a 6 year contender.

I 100% expect that Booker WILL overtake Nash, title or not, but he isn't quite there yet.

Its a shame we went through so much, the JJ broken face, the Nash bloody nose, the Horry hipcheck and suspensions.

The lack of accolades isn't a Book thing, its a national media thing and their narratives...he's just empty stats, he's just offense and no D, oh CP3 carried him, etc. Nash's resume is a better. So far despite the accolades:

Nash only made the playoffs 5 years (excluding his pre-trade era to the Mavs):

3 Conference Finals (Spurs, Mavs, Lakers)
1 Second Round (Spurs)
1 First Round (Spurs)

Booker:

1 Finals (Bucks)
2 Second Round (Mavs, Nuggets)

Booker average more Points, rebounds, and surprisingly a better 3pt % than Nash. The greatest disparity are the assists, 7 for Book and 11 for Nash.

 

[GatorAZ]

We missed AD, Jamal Murray, Kawhi (twice), George, Zion the past few years. Imagine had we faced Dallas or San Antonio in the playoffs without Duncan or Dirk those years, hell even just Parker or Ginobili. Even with Amare’s shortcoming had he just stayed on the arc from 05’ we win at least one title with his knee surgery. Still pisses me off looking back that era.

 

[AzStevenCal]

We missed AD, Jamal Murray, Kawhi (twice), George, Zion the past few years. Imagine had we faced Dallas or San Antonio in the playoffs without Duncan or Dirk those years, hell even just Parker or Ginobili. Even with Amare’s shortcoming had he just stayed on the arc from 05’ we win at least one title with his knee surgery. Still pisses me off looking back that era.

Yeah, we've had some good luck but even more bad luck through the years. Maybe the luckiest we ever got was the year we gave up that last second putback by Artest that kept us out of the finals. A healthy Brandon Roy and we don't even make it out of the first round.

But I think we advance to the finals against the Bucks even if AD hadn't gone out, and could well have won it all if CP3 didn't get injured 3 or 4 times, Booker didn't get his nose broke and then feel a twinge in his hamstring just a few minutes to go in a game he had been tearing it up or CamP and Saric hadn't gone down. Luck plays a huge role in who wins it all almost every season, deep teams with solid defenses tend to need less luck than offensive teams, especially those that are top heavy.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

When two players are as close to each other in importance and accomplishment like nash and book I see no reason select one over the other. Nothing hinges on the decision, so I just enjoy both.