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Rachel Nichols says Devin Booker should request a trade and believes the Phoenix Suns star guard “would be perfect” for the Houston Rockets.
“If Phoenix wants to be better, they cannot do what Mat Ishbia has been out in the press saying what they want to do,” said Nichols, a Fox Sports 1 contributor formerly with ESPN, in a sitdown with former NBA player Matt Barnes on Showtime’s 'All The Smoke’ podcast.
“It is great that the owner sits there and says, we’re going to keep winning, we’re never going to tank, we’re always going to try to win. You have my word to fans, this team will be trying to win. That sounds good. It does not create a winning basketball team in the time of this collective bargaining agreement.”
The Suns are over the second tax apron, a position that limits their roster flexibility. It appears they will at least explore trading Kevin Durant this summer after entertaining trade offers right before the 2025 trade deadline.
Phoenix finished 36-46 to miss the playoffs for the first time since the 2019-20 season, which was the last time they had a losing record. Booker has expressed continual loyalty to the Suns as he became the franchise’s all-time leading scorer this past season, but Nichols believes they should deal him.
“The thing you have to do is strip down the team, get some of those picks back from the Rockets, by the way, have them,” Nichols said. “So you control your own fate there. Look, I know trading Devin Booker would be a huge hit for them in terms of the fan base and just sort of the loyalty factor.”
Nichols noted Booker’s loyalty to the Suns, comparing it to Kobe Bryant with the Los Angeles Lakers. She called him “wicked talented,” but lacks faith in Phoenix to build a championship team around him.
“He keeps saying, ‘I always want to be in Phoenix, I always want to be there,’” Nichols said. “If I were him, I would say, ‘trade me.’”
Averaging 25.6 points and a career-high 7.1 assists this season, Booker just completed the first year of his four-year max deal for $220 million, but is up for a two-year extension for $149 million.
The Rockets are the second seed in the Western Conference playoffs. They are tied 1-1 with the Golden State Warriors in the first round as Game 3 is Saturday, April 26, in San Francisco.
Have opinions about the current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at [email protected] or contact him at 480-810-5518. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @DuaneRankin.
Support local journalism: Subscribe to azcentral.com today.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns should part ways, says Rachel Nichols
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“If Phoenix wants to be better, they cannot do what Mat Ishbia has been out in the press saying what they want to do,” said Nichols, a Fox Sports 1 contributor formerly with ESPN, in a sitdown with former NBA player Matt Barnes on Showtime’s 'All The Smoke’ podcast.
“It is great that the owner sits there and says, we’re going to keep winning, we’re never going to tank, we’re always going to try to win. You have my word to fans, this team will be trying to win. That sounds good. It does not create a winning basketball team in the time of this collective bargaining agreement.”
The Suns are over the second tax apron, a position that limits their roster flexibility. It appears they will at least explore trading Kevin Durant this summer after entertaining trade offers right before the 2025 trade deadline.
Phoenix finished 36-46 to miss the playoffs for the first time since the 2019-20 season, which was the last time they had a losing record. Booker has expressed continual loyalty to the Suns as he became the franchise’s all-time leading scorer this past season, but Nichols believes they should deal him.
“The thing you have to do is strip down the team, get some of those picks back from the Rockets, by the way, have them,” Nichols said. “So you control your own fate there. Look, I know trading Devin Booker would be a huge hit for them in terms of the fan base and just sort of the loyalty factor.”
Nichols noted Booker’s loyalty to the Suns, comparing it to Kobe Bryant with the Los Angeles Lakers. She called him “wicked talented,” but lacks faith in Phoenix to build a championship team around him.
“He keeps saying, ‘I always want to be in Phoenix, I always want to be there,’” Nichols said. “If I were him, I would say, ‘trade me.’”
Averaging 25.6 points and a career-high 7.1 assists this season, Booker just completed the first year of his four-year max deal for $220 million, but is up for a two-year extension for $149 million.
The Rockets are the second seed in the Western Conference playoffs. They are tied 1-1 with the Golden State Warriors in the first round as Game 3 is Saturday, April 26, in San Francisco.
Have opinions about the current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at [email protected] or contact him at 480-810-5518. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @DuaneRankin.
Support local journalism: Subscribe to azcentral.com today.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns should part ways, says Rachel Nichols
Continue reading...
