Since their triumph of getting to the NBA Finals in 2021, the Phoenix Suns have consistently regressed backwards, with their philosophy of adding major star names not working out in the slightest. After missing the playoffs entirely last season, they needed a reset in the offseason.
Moving on from Bradley Beal and Kevin Durant gave them the pathway towards that model, and the early returns have been extremely promising. Despite Devin Booker missing some time, they are back in the thick of the playoff race and have a chance of making a run in the NBA Cup as well.
Devin Booker Trending in the Right Direction
This year, the Suns are 14-10, good for seventh place in the Western Conference, thanks to a deep team with the right pieces at virtually every position. The fact that they’ve achieved the record with Booker missing time due to a right groin strain is a testament to the roster they’ve built.
Adding shrewd players like Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks in the Durant trade, alongside Mark Williams and Colin Gillespie, has opened things up for them. As a result, inserting Booker back into the lineup could truly allow this team to take another massive leap forward.
Unfortunately, the 2025-26 season hasn’t been very kind to the franchise icon so far. In 22 games, he’s averaging 25 points per game (lowest since 2017-18), and shooting a career-worst 31.5% from 3-point range.
To make matters worse, a right groin injury has kept him out since the start of December and might make it a tougher ask to get him back into game form. However, with a critical NBA Cup Quarter-Final matchup on the horizon, all signs point towards Booker making his return sooner rather than later.
As Kellan Olson of AZSports reported on X, “Devin Booker (right groin strain) has been upgraded to questionable for the Suns tomorrow against the Thunder in the NBA Cup quarterfinals.” With their opponents at a history-setting 23-1 pace, Booker’s return could not come at a better time for Phoenix.
The last time these two teams faced off, in an NBA Cup Group Stage match, Oklahoma City walked away with a narrow 123-119 victory. It was the final game Booker played before his injury, scoring 21 points in 39 minutes, while adding eight rebounds and six assists to the tally as well.
This time around, though, the stakes are much higher, and a spot in the NBA Cup Semi-Finals is up for grabs. It’ll be interesting to see if the superstar shooting guard does get the nod as a game-time decision.
