The NBA doesn’t have a ton of players tied to the franchise that drafted them. Given the nature of the sport and the dramatic turnaround, stars tend to seek out new pastures if their situation isn’t favorable to them. In recent years, however, one supertar who has consistently bucked that trend is Devin Booker.
Despite a majority of his career being spent in the doldrums of the league, he has remained loyal to the Phoenix Suns. However, there was a time when, rather than the star player, it was the organization that considered moving on from him.
Phoenix Suns Almost Traded Devin Booker
Over the last decade, the NBA has undergone a metamorphosis, with stars frequently seeking new teams. A phenomenon that realistically could be traced back to Wilt Chamberlain and Kareem Abdul Jabbar has become more commonplace these days.
However, it is a rare case where the team decides to move on from a potential superstar, given the dearth of them in the league as a whole. The Suns, though, were about to make such a move when they believed they could get a different superstar in return.
However, it was head coach Earl Watson, who spent less than two full seasons with the organization, who prevented the team from making such a move. Explaining the bizarre situation that was developing in Phoenix, he spoke of his role in swaying the team away.
“February 2017, Jimmy Butler is in Chicago,” he began his tale, revealing what his meeting with the owner at the time, Robert Sarver, looked like. “We have a trade for Devin, we’re gonna send Devin to Chicago for Jimmy Butler.”
However, seeing the potential in Booker, he wasn’t willing to negotiate with his future. “Man, I really seen the kid as one of the greatest players ever, and I sit there, and I watch the kid work, I’m in the gym with him.”
As a result, he blew off the trade request entirely. “This was the beginning of the end of me in Phoenix. I say, ‘If you trade Devin Booker, I am resigning tonight.'” Unfortunately, he assumed correctly, and his coaching career came to an end less than a full year later.
A brutal start to the 2017-18 season paved the way for the Suns to fire Watson from his role, and he hasn’t found a head coaching job ever since. However, Booker has gone on to become a staple of the Suns organization and one of the best players in franchise history.
Leading the team to an NBA Finals appearance, he has also achieved considerable success with them. Now, with a fresh start after parting ways with Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal, it will be interesting to see how he can lead the new-look roster.
