How real are the Devin Booker to the Knicks trade rumors?

The first season of the Phoenix Suns big three experiment has ended with a humiliating sweep in the first round of the Western Conference Finals. While pundits and the betting markets liked Phoenix’s chances against the Minnesota Timberwolves, they were completely outclassed throughout the series, and nothing feeds the rumor mill like a disappointing playoff run. 

Playoff failures lead to offseason questions

When organizations go all-in, as the Suns did with their acquisitions of Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal in a six-month span, they take on extraordinary risk. The upside is banners and parades, but the downside is an expensive roster without any means of upgrading if you fall short. And even if you hit your ultimate goal of winning a title, the downside is still there, it’s just overwhelmed by the upside. 

The Suns, however, did not hit their upside in year one, and it now appears that their homegrown star Devin Booker is angling for an exit. According to Stephen A. Smith, the rumor in NBA circles is that Booker has his sights set on the New York Knicks, who are up 3-1 in their first-round series against the Philadelphia 76ers. 

It should be noted that Smith is not reporting that Booker has expressed his desire to the Suns, or anyone else, for that matter, to be traded. And Booker did refute the idea later. It is simply a rumor that Smith, a purported Knicks fan, is giving legs to. However, rumors, even in 2024, usually have a shred of truth to them. So let’s examine what a Devin Booker to the Knicks blockbuster would look like. 

Can the Knicks actually trade for Devin Booker?

The first question that needs to be asked is would the Knicks want to do this? The short answer is yes. The offensive burden the Knicks place on Jaylen Brunson is immense. He’s required to put a cape on every night to keep their offense afloat and Booker is one of the NBA’s best shooting guards. The pair would be the best backcourt in the league, and they should make each other better. 

The next question is can the Knicks trade for Devin Booker? Just about every team would love to add Nikola Jokic or Jayson Tatum, but not every team has the assets to actually pull it off. However, the Knicks own all of their first-round picks, have three more from outside organizations, and have a plethora of contracts to match Booker’s $49.3 million salary. Julius Randle, Bojan Bogdanovic, and a treasure trove of first-round picks will be the go-to fake trade framework for a hypothetic Booker trade, but Josh Hart, Donte DiVincenzo, and Mitchell Robinson could all find their way into the deal as well.

Would the Suns trade Devin Booker?

The good news for this rumor is there’s a will and a way, but that ignores the most important question — will the Phoenix Suns entertain trading Devin Booker? The New York Knicks and Devin Booker can want each other with all their hearts, but if the Phoenix Suns don’t want to trade Booker, there’s not much they can do. As it stands, the Suns have almost no draft assets, are lightyears beyond the salary cap, and still employ Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal. If the Suns trade Booker, they would be entering a rebuild full stop. There’s no point keeping Kevin Durant without having Booker, and with Beal’s full no-trade clause, tearing everything down could net underwhelming returns. 

The real question isn’t, “Should the Knicks trade for Devin Booker,” it’s, “Do the Suns want to engage in a full teardown 18 months after mortgaging their future to build a championship contender?” If Booker demands a trade, they might be left with little choice, but because he has four more years left on his deal, there is no rush to send him to the Knicks and not explore the best potential offer. 

Chances are, Kevin Durant and Devin Booker will be in the fake trade rumor mill the entire summer, that’s what happens when a team with famous players flames out in the first round, but the Suns have little incentive to blow up this team. Running it back might feel untenable right now, but it’s either that or entering a full-on rebuild without any of your own picks. Stephen A. Smith might be reporting what he has heard, but he’s also hearing what he wants to hear.