The Devin Booker non-appreciation thread.

[1tinsoldier]

Get out of the Booker business while you still can get close to top dollar

yes, Finito, finito already. It's time to get back to the business of winning and competing for a championship. And out of the Booker business the Suns and Arizona Sports has been in for a decade. I'm sick of the hype and the glorification with nothing to show for it but his name on sneakers and face on posters and video games.

 

[how_sweet_it_is]

Because the Suns have some fairly impressive drafted rookies in Dunn and Ighodaro, I might be willing to back away from wanting to keep Booker. Unless they throw Dunn and Ighodaro away, Booker is technically not the Suns' only home-drafted product. Just the most successful. But he has plateaued and also displayed his lack of fire or leadership. Dunn or Ighodaro might display more give-a-**** than Booker.

 

[1tinsoldier]

unfortunately, however, the "top dollar" opportunity has passed. And that was validated yesterday with him being voted only "9th GUARD in THE WEST." Top dollar was for the brief period someone other than a local fan considered him close to being a top 10 PLAYER in THE LEAGUE! And, perhaps, that was what all the Booker hype this month was about. Shoring up his face value because the All Star designation is to the NBA market, what an Oscar nomination is to a film's marketability.

 

[AzStevenCal]

unfortunately, however, the "top dollar" opportunity has passed. And that was validated yesterday with him being voted only "9th GUARD in THE WEST." Top dollar was for the brief period someone other than a local fan considered him close to being a top 10 PLAYER in THE LEAGUE! And, perhaps, that was what all the Booker hype this month was about. Shoring up his face value because the All Star designation is to the NBA market, what an Oscar nomination is to a film's marketability.

The main difference between your opinion on Devin and mine is that you believe today's mediocre version is all he's ever been and I believe this isn't the same Booker we used to see. Watching him play he just doesn't measure up to his old self and hasn't for a few years now. He's gone from arguably a top 5 to top 10 player to maybe a top 50 player. That's a huge drop from someone still in his prime with no major injury problem. Part of it has to do with all the time he's playing at the PG position but that seems to be where they want him despite his inability to guard that position.

 

[1tinsoldier]

The main difference between your opinion on Devin and mine is that you believe today's mediocre version is all he's ever been and I believe this isn't the same Booker we used to see. Watching him play he just doesn't measure up to his old self and hasn't for a few years now. He's gone from arguably a top 5 to top 10 player to maybe a top 50 player. That's a huge drop from someone still in his prime with no major injury problem. Part of it has to do with all the time he's playing at the PG position but that seems to be where they want him despite his inability to guard that position.

actually, 7 years ago, i thought he had unlimited potential as a scorer but his flaws would prevent him from being a winner on a winning team. Since his flaws were correctable, i thought he had the potential to round out his game with a strong coach, but i wouldn't bet on it. I hoped he would learn from CP3, and indeed that was his peak, but that time has passed. He is who he is. The only thing that might help him and us now, is for him to move on to new environment where he has to learn to play within a system without a built-in fanbase that his coach has to cater to.

 

[1tinsoldier]

i hate to be a debbie-downer, but for the sake of my 300 hours of Suns spectating each season becoming more fruitful instead of frustrating in the near future, i must again object to the dumbing down of Suns fans into complacency that is taking place with the Booker media blitz.

last night they highlighted his 6 game winners in 10 years. Do the friggin math. As "the man/go-to" guy, he must take at least 6 of those shots every year. That's a 10% success rate, and in the ballpark with his 2 minute clutch stats. For reference, Jordan made 50 in his 15 years. Kobe made 24, Barkley made 21.

in 50 years of watching NBA ball i've never seen anything like this fanfare just for a player scoring the most points with one team -- especially when it's mostly due to pure longevity and how many shots he takes, and it has only resulted in one good playoff run (with a Hall-Of-Famer), and several historic meltdowns.

every team has, and will always have a Booker -- a top scorer between 22 to 26 points per game. If that player is not an inspirational or bright leader who makes teammates better, isn't a good defender, and can't will a team to wins in tight games, all the hype amounts to is moving some merchandise and $15 beers.