It’s time to quit babying Booker

[JCSunsfan]

If this team is going to get better, Booker has to get better.

1. He needs to be more efficient. 34% is too low for your primary outside threat.

2. He needs to include other players more.

3. He needs to cut his turnovers.

4. He needs to attempt to play defense.

 

[GatorAZ]

You’re not wrong but his max contract doesn’t kick in until next season. If the Suns have PG by then and his efficiency/defense doesn’t improve its time to worry. I think he’ll put it together though.

 

[Chaplin]

How are we babying Booker? He's an NBA athlete--it's not like his issues are not existing with every other player in the league.

Pretty sure he already knows all that you're talking about.

 

[Proximo]

If this team is going to get better, Booker has to get better.

1. He needs to be more efficient. 34% is too low for your primary outside threat.

2. He needs to include other players more.

3. He needs to cut his turnovers.

4. He needs to attempt to play defense.

Most of this is solved with a point guard.

He will be more efficient, have fewer turnovers, and probably have more energy to play defense.

 

[AzStevenCal]

He missed the offseason due to surgery, injured his hamstring a few games in and is clearly not back to full speed, he's having to learn a new position and a new offense with mostly unfamiliar teammates and he's 2 months younger than our rookie Mikal Bridges. Sure, he needs to improve, what 22 year old doesn't?

 

[NashDishesDimes]

*fart noise* crazy thread

Hes in a bit of a shooting slump, big deal. Hes constantly double teamed. Hes averaging almost 8 assists this year which is GREAT. Hes also getting in foul trouble a lot which means hes trying on defense.

*fart noise*

Book is an incredible player and not one ounce of blame is on him.

 

[95pro]

Even before this year, all the praise he got, imo he's still overrated even when healthy.

I get it, he's a good scorer. But like in the OP he doesn't provide much else.

He doesn't make others better, shown by this year where he has more help than ever. He actually has some NBA talent around him.

He doesn't play defense. Or maybe he can't play defense???

Even healthy, he gets blocked a lot.

Is he a great shooter? Maybe good but I'm not sure I'd put him as a great shooter, he should be knocking those wide open 3 pointers down without a second thought.

 

[1Sun]

Most of this is solved with a point guard.

He will be more efficient, have fewer turnovers, and probably have more energy to play defense.

Indeed. As a shooting guard, Booker is a potential Hall of Famer. As a point guard, he is below average. Pretty darn clear that playing him at the point is hindering his game in addition to wearing him down.

 

[Chaplin]

Indeed. As a shooting guard, Booker is a potential Hall of Famer. As a point guard, he is below average. Pretty darn clear that playing him at the point is hindering his game in addition to wearing him down.

No it's not. It's CLEAR he had a hamstring issues which is still bothering him, which has NOTHING to do with playing PG.

 

[ArizonaSportsFan]

Wow, this thread. Did I miss a sarcasm smilie somewhere? Nobody is babying him. Are you taking to the fans? To the media? To the coaching staff? To the FO?

 

[AzStevenCal]

Even before this year, all the praise he got, imo he's still overrated even when healthy.

I get it, he's a good scorer. But like in the OP he doesn't provide much else.

He doesn't make others better, shown by this year where he has more help than ever. He actually has some NBA talent around him.

He doesn't play defense. Or maybe he can't play defense???

Even healthy, he gets blocked a lot.

Is he a great shooter? Maybe good but I'm not sure I'd put him as a great shooter, he should be knocking those wide open 3 pointers down without a second thought.

Most of the praise that came his way took into consideration what he could become, not just what he is. If you're talking to people that consider him a top 20 player, then yes, he is overrated. But if you're listening to the fans that suggest he's not even a top 100 player, then no, he's not overrated, quite the contrary.

And I disagree about getting blocked a lot when healthy. When fully healthy, I rarely saw him get blocked. But now, he's a half step slower to the rim and when he pulls up for that mid-range jumper, he gets nowhere near the lift we're used to seeing. I have more concerns about how seldom he's fully healthy than what he can do once he is.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Wow, this thread. Did I miss a sarcasm smilie somewhere? Nobody is babying him. Are you taking to the fans? To the media? To the coaching staff? To the FO?

I wish. Much of what the OP said is true (not the implied selfish part, that was way off base IMO). My only issue with the thread is that the OP came across to me like he was pissed and complaining rather than acknowledging we have a future star in the making who needs to continue developing his game.

 

[devilalum]

If this team is going to get better, Booker has to get better.

1. He needs to be more efficient. 34% is too low for your primary outside threat.

2. He needs to include other players more.

3. He needs to cut his turnovers.

4. He needs to attempt to play defense.

Yes and No.

He's currently playing out of position at PG and getting career highs in assists and turnovers. His 3s are down because he doesn't have a PG to get him open looks.

Defense will probably never be his strong suit but even Nash learned to play team D when it mattered.

 

[1Sun]

No it's not. It's CLEAR he had a hamstring issues which is still bothering him, which has NOTHING to do with playing PG.

He wasn't particularly good at the point last year, either, and had the same issues when he played out of position then as he does now.

 

[Covert Rain]

No it's not. It's CLEAR he had a hamstring issues which is still bothering him, which has NOTHING to do with playing PG.

He showed some of the same at that position last year. Booker is not a PG.

 

[95pro]

Most of the praise that came his way took into consideration what he could become, not just what he is. If you're talking to people that consider him a top 20 player, then yes, he is overrated. But if you're listening to the fans that suggest he's not even a top 100 player, then no, he's not overrated, quite the contrary.

And I disagree about getting blocked a lot when healthy. When fully healthy, I rarely saw him get blocked. But now, he's a half step slower to the rim and when he pulls up for that mid-range jumper, he gets nowhere near the lift we're used to seeing. I have more concerns about how seldom he's fully healthy than what he can do once he is.

A few weeks ago I looked it up, I think he was in the top 10.

 

[AzStevenCal]

A few weeks ago I looked it up, I think he was in the top 10.

Between recovering from surgery and his hamstring I don't believe he's been healthy all season.

 

[95pro]

Between recovering from surgery and his hamstring I don't believe he's been healthy all season.

Not just this year. Heck you can even exclude this year.

The players on that list will amaze you though.

 

[BC867]

This is clearly the wrong time to evaluate Devin Booker's performance. As so many have posted on this thread now, (a) he is playing hurt and (b) he is our best player at two positions.

When he returns to his natural position of Shooting Guard, with a skilled Point Guard feeding him, we can evaluate his progress. Especially on defense.

Actually, we already know that he has been, at a very young age, our best player. But he has not shown the overall skill (defense) to be elite in the league.

Whether that changes will remain to be seen. When the ownership and Front Office no longer (ab)use Devin to cover their lack of foresight.

 

[95pro]

This is clearly the wrong time to evaluate Devin Booker's performance. As so many have posted on this thread now, (a) he is playing hurt and (b) he is our best player at two positions.

When he returns to his natural position of Shooting Guard, with a skilled Point Guard feeding him, we can evaluate his progress. Especially on defense.

Actually, we already know that he has been, at a very young age, our best player. But he has not shown the overall skill (defense) to be elite in the league.

Whether that changes will remain to be seen. When the ownership and Front Office no longer (ab)use Devin to cover their lack of foresight.

I think that's the easiest part of his game to evaluate since he's already been bad about it, even before the injuries.

Someone commented earlier that he's picking up more fouls because he's trying on defense??? Its the opposite; watching, reacting late and reaching.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Not just this year. Heck you can even exclude this year.

The players on that list will amaze you though.

Yeah but that's the reason I'm worried about him, he's been out or at less than full speed for probably half his career so far. Between the hand and hamstring and the ankle and turf toe and whatever else I'm forgetting, he's struggled every year. When he can move and jump normally, opponents can't get to his shot. When he doesn't rise up as fast or as far because of his toe, ankle or hamstring, he's very blockable. Same with going to the hoop.

 

[BC867]

I am not concerned about whether DBook will be among the greatest of all time.

(I find it difficult to say GOAT, because "goat" used to have a different connotation.)

Just that he will help lead the Suns to success. It should not be about all-or-nothing.

If he will never be a good defender, so be it. Use his skills on offense and provide a backcourt player with defensive skills.

 

[AzStevenCal]

I am not concerned about whether DBook will be among the greatest of all time.

(I find it difficult to say GOAT, because "goat" used to have a different connotation.)

Just that he will help lead the Suns to success. It should not be about all-or-nothing.

If he will never be a good defender, so be it. Use his skills on offense and provide a backcourt player with defensive skills.

Yeah, the first time I heard it used was about Jerry Rice as he neared the end of his playing days and I wondered what in the hell they were talking about.

And I agree, Booker can still be a star just doing what he does well. For a 2, he's a good ball-handler and distributor but that doesn't make him a point guard. His shot, his ability to get his shot, and his ability to find someone else out of the double team puts him on the elite track. But he needs someone else who, at a minimum, can at least share the responsibility of running the offense.

 

[1Sun]

Yeah, the first time I heard it used was about Jerry Rice as he neared the end of his playing days and I wondered what in the hell they were talking about.

And I agree, Booker can still be a star just doing what he does well. For a 2, he's a good ball-handler and distributor but that doesn't make him a point guard. His shot, his ability to get his shot, and his ability to find someone else out of the double team puts him on the elite track. But he needs someone else who, at a minimum, can at least share the responsibility of running the offense.

Booker has no more business playing the point than any of his most likely positive player comparisons, Klay Thompson, Gordon Hayward, Reggie Miller, Ray Allen and Drazen Petrovic.

 

[Carolinacacti]

Booker will never get the Super Max. Thats a good thing people because Ayton will get that.