NBA Free Agency 2018: Most impactful signings of the summer

OAKLAND, CA - MAY 31: LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Kevin Durant #35 of the Golden State Warriors in Game One of the 2018 NBA Finals on May 31, 2018 at ORACLE Arena in Oakland, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) /

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DENVER, CO – JANUARY 03: Devin Booker #1 of the Phoenix Suns sets the play against the Denver Nuggets at Pepsi Center on January 3, 2018 (Photo by Justin Tafoya/Getty Images) /

8. Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns

Despite protestations to the contrary from within the organization, the Phoenix Suns are not going to be very good next season. You’d probably get worse than 50/50 odds on them becoming a playoff team even in 2019-20.

Ryan McDonough’s attempt to save his job with the Trevor Ariza signing is admirable, but this is still a team whose three-man core is a combined 61 years old. They are nowhere close to being ready to compete, especially in a stacked conference that only got stronger with the King taking his talents West.

That doesn’t mean it’s going to be like this forever. If they do reach the heights that their collective pedigree indicates they will, the eldest member of their young trio is going to be a huge key to that happening.

Devin Booker just completed a season in which he became only the 13th 22-or-under player ever to average 20 points with at least a 53 true shooting percentage and a usage rate over 30, per Basketball-Reference. The other 12: Jordan, Shaq, Kobe, T-Mac, LeBron, ‘Melo, KD, Russ, Rose, Kyrie, Embiid, and Kristaps Porzingis this year. Not a bad group.

If his shooting continues to progress to unguardable levels, his ball handling improves enough to allow Phoenix to play with some PG-less lineups and his defense can simply graduate to “passably bad,” the Suns could be a legit threat in the years after the Golden State dynasty finally comes to an end. For that reason, he gets a spot here.

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