Superstar?

[Chris_Sanders]

For Booker on this team? Giannis. Maybe Durant. That's it

 

[Chris_Sanders]

Like there is no planet I am trading Booker for Doncic. It's not a Convo at all

 

[boisesuns]

For Booker on this team? Giannis. Maybe Durant. That's it

hard to think or much more than that. I would have to think hard about Durant and that’s saying something

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

For Booker on this team? Giannis. Maybe Durant. That's it

Considering Durant's age I would exclude him. Giannis is probably the only one for me. That being said I hope Booker plays his entire career for the Suns.

 

[Chris_Sanders]

hard to think or much more than that. I would have to think hard about Durant and that’s saying something

Yep that's why I said maybe Durant. Booker is just the best 2 guard in the league right now and it's not close.

 

[AZ Native]

Yep that's why I said maybe Durant. Booker is just the best 2 guard in the league right now and it's not close.

And Booker went through so much losing here he is savoring this moment.

 

[1tinsoldier]

obviously the "superstar" label depends on how one defines the term. and it's homeristic BS to say anyone here is "disrespecting" Booker by not defining the term as they would like (or that anyone is "making stuff up" by daring to question his shot selection at the end of games)

what does matter is that Booker is playing the best basketball of his career heading into these playoffs.
that is exactly what he is doing.
and no one is happier about that than me!

 

[Proximo]

For Booker on this team? Giannis. Maybe Durant. That's it

Ja, Jokic, Giannis, and maybe Luka - although I really don't like Luka's personality so that is a close one. Tatum is real close too.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

Ja, Jokic, Giannis, and maybe Luka - although I really don't like Luka's personality so that is a close one. Tatum is real close too.

No on Ja, no on Jokic because we already have a great big, yes on Giannis because it's Giannis and he could coexist with Ayton and a firm no on Luka as I think he is too ball dominant and is a step down defensively.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Good grief, BOOK is even disrespected by his own fans who will not admit his superstar status

Yep that's why I said maybe Durant. Booker is just the best 2 guard in the league right now and it's not close.

His defensive improvement has put him over the top. Look at what he did against Harden yesterday. Now he wasn't always the one defending Harden, but still, it was a 2 guard head to head. I would not trade Booker for anyone right now. That doesn't mean that Giannis isn't better though. It's just I like Book.

 

[JCSunsfan]

obviously the "superstar" label depends on how one defines the term. and it's homeristic BS to say anyone here is "disrespecting" Booker by not defining the term as they would like (or that anyone is "making stuff up" by daring to question his shot selection at the end of games)

what does matter is that Booker is playing the best basketball of his career heading into these playoffs.
that is exactly what he is doing.
and no one is happier about that than me!

No. It is not homeristic. And he is the best real clutch player in the game next to Cp3, so that kinda undermines the shot selection at the end of games argument. It's nit-picking.

Listen. I am not trying to get in an argument with you or bag on other fans. I know you are enjoying this run too. It just gets a little frustrating for me when guys create their own personal definition of "superstar" that is far narrower than the way the term is generally used.

 

[AzStevenCal]

No. It is not homeristic. And he is the best real clutch player in the game next to Cp3, so that kinda undermines the shot selection at the end of games argument. It's nit-picking.

Listen. I am not trying to get in an argument with you or bag on other fans. I know you are enjoying this run too. It just gets a little frustrating for me when guys create their own personal definition of "superstar" that is far narrower than the way the term is generally used.

Or when they hold one player to a standard and a different one for everyone else. Booker isn't perfect, we get it, but if you focus on the few negatives of any player without balancing them against all the positives you'd be talking about a league without stars let alone superstars.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

Or when they hold one player to a standard and a different one for everyone else. Booker isn't perfect, we get it, but if you focus on the few negatives of any player without balancing them against all the positives you'd be talking about a league without stars let alone superstars.

He literally posted earlier in the thread his criteria for what makes a superstar and Booker fit all of the criteria that he mentioned, but he still proceeds to say he isn't a superstar. I doubt any amount of argument is going to change his mind, but maybe having a big post season that ends with a title will?

 

[Mainstreet]

Or when they hold one player to a standard and a different one for everyone else. Booker isn't perfect, we get it, but if you focus on the few negatives of any player without balancing them against all the positives you'd be talking about a league without stars let alone superstars.

Devin Booker has been a star for awhile but I think he crossed over to superstar this season.

There are two markers. The first is him becoming a two-way player on offense and defense. The addition of defense was a defining moment.

The second is the realization he didn't always have to take the final shot to win. I think he learned this from Chris Paul.

 

[1tinsoldier]

forget the labels. i'll put it this way:

Booker is playing the best basketball of his career, is a top 10 player and top 5 MVP candidate.
he's corrected most of the flaws i've harped on (while, indeed "balancing" it out with compliments like this, but don't need to because that's all most fans do here and it gets redundant and boring)

to be clear, his remaining shot selection issue is a flaw many players widely accepted as "superstars" share. they have the ego and drive to be "the man" -- the best in the game with the best stats and they entertain us in their pursuit.

theoretically, i'm just giving Booker the kind of tough love Chris Paul gives Ayton -- pushing him to be his best.
because imo, the best of the best share a smart, unselfish mindset and team focus that make their teammates better, such as Magic, Nash and Paul

i realize it's unfair to expect that degree of excellence from Booker. We're lucky to have him just the way he is. but hell, this is the team i spend countless hours watching and critiquing is part of the pleasure.

 

[Austin Zonie]

Devin Booker now has more career points than Kawhi Leonard.

Kawhi: 576 games and 11,085 points
Booker: 473 games and 11,089 points

 

[Proximo]

No on Ja, no on Jokic because we already have a great big, yes on Giannis because it's Giannis and he could coexist with Ayton and a firm no on Luka as I think he is too ball dominant and is a step down defensively.

You don't think Jokic would be superior to Ayton, and that Ayton could not be traded for good value considering his age?

There really is no thing such as for this team. If you have a chance to get a superstar, you change the team.

 

[Proximo]

No. It is not homeristic. And he is the best real clutch player in the game next to Cp3, so that kinda undermines the shot selection at the end of games argument. It's nit-picking.

Listen. I am not trying to get in an argument with you or bag on other fans. I know you are enjoying this run too. It just gets a little frustrating for me when guys create their own personal definition of "superstar" that is far narrower than the way the term is generally used.

If you ask NBA fans in general if Booker is a superstar, I am almost positive the majority will say no.

That is a good way to judge if someone is a superstar, because for the most part it is the fans that decide.

 

[Ronin]

Fans also voted Wiggins as an all-star starter.lol

 

[Mainstreet]

Fans also voted Wiggins as an all-star starter.lol

Casual or bias fans are not a good gauge for sure.

 

[Proximo]

Fans also voted Wiggins as an all-star starter.lol

Golden State fans did. They voted a lot more than average fans, that was obvious because all of their players got a ridiculous amount of votes.

The majority of fans were outspoken that he did not deserve to be a starter.

 

[CardsSunsDbacks]

You don't think Jokic would be superior to Ayton, and that Ayton could not be traded for good value considering his age?

There really is no thing such as for this team. If you have a chance to get a superstar, you change the team.

We have a superstar in Booker and the exercise was who I would trade Booker for. If I was trading for Jokic it would be to pair Booker with him and Ayton would probably be part of the package to get him. If it's who I would trade Booker for straight up than it's going to be a player that fits with the rest of the current roster. That's not Jokic.

 

[JCSunsfan]

If you ask NBA fans in general if Booker is a superstar, I am almost positive the majority will say no.

That is a good way to judge if someone is a superstar, because for the most part it is the fans that decide.

That is the worst way. Ask them their definition of a superstar. Ask the press the same thing. And then see if Book measures up. Most fans are not paying attention to Book.

 

[elindholm]

For Booker on this team? Giannis. Maybe Durant. That's it

If the moment is frozen in time, then yes, Durant. Otherwise no, because Durant is near the end of his career. Maybe Embiid, if he finally has his health under control. And you have to throw Young in there. Hard to decide about Jokic -- he's awesome, but not an ideal fit for today's NBA. Seems like you have to design a system around him to get the best out of him.

If we're playing the "frozen in time" game and the Suns can keep only one, would it be Booker or Paul?

 

[elindholm]

Devin Booker now has more career points than Kawhi Leonard.

Kawhi: 576 games and 11,085 points
Booker: 473 games and 11,089 points

That's amazing. That said, Leonard is overrated. He's great when all of the stars are in alignment, but that has happened far too rarely.