The Kevin and Devin Show was a smash hit in Paris. It was a flickering flop in Phoenix.
The results will astound and confound for years to come: How could two of the top six American players at the 2024 Olympics co-pilot their NBA franchise to 46 losses?
The answer is complicated, including Booker’s ongoing two-year regression as a basketball player. For his first eight seasons in the NBA, Booker consistently evolved into something better. Summers were his secret weapon, just like they were with Michael Jordan. Both sacrificed when it really hurts, putting in serious work when few others would.
Alas, the growth curve has flattened. After winning a gold medal in France, Booker looked a step slow for a good chunk of the season. He was too often locked up by lengthy, malicious defenders. He shot 33.2 percent from beyond the three-point line, which ranked 153rd in the league. His defense was mostly uninspiring. He was still very capable of stringing together huge offensive performances, but to veteran observers, he just didn’t seem like the same guy.
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The firing and the language surrounding Mike Budenholzer offer something of an alibi, a former head coach who might’ve sucked the joy out of everybody. Just imagine Booker trying to exert the verbal oomph and vocal leadership the team so badly needed, only to be told to pipe down by Budenholzer. What kind of head coach tells the franchise player to shut up?
Still, no excuses. This is Booker’s town and Booker’s team. No matter how bad Budenholzer might’ve been at his job, the NBA is run by its superstars. Head coaches can only inflict as much damage as the team’s star players will allow.
Such a buzzkill, especially for an NBA city that expected so much more. Longtime Suns fans might remember “Backcourt 2000,” when former Suns owner Jerry Colangelo paired Jason Kidd with Anfernee “Penny” Hardaway and imaginations ran wild. Multiple championships were predicted. It was a short lived and ill-fated experiment cratered by injuries and off-court issues, and yet nowhere near as disappointing as the past two seasons.
Booker’s status has dipped significantly. His replica jersey sales have dropped to No. 14 in the league. His ranking as an elite player now falls somewhere between 15-25, and nowhere near the Top 10. He is trending away from the Pro Basketball Hall of Fame.
Yet for the second consecutive summer, Booker will find reward. Last year, it was taking Jayson Tatum’s playing time and serving a key role for Team USA. This year, it will be a two-year contract extension worth nearly $150 million, elevating him to the top of the NBA earnings list. He is about to receive the financial commitment and loyalty that the Mavericks wouldn’t give Luka Doncic. That should make Booker feel very happy.
But when he returns, we need him to be on a mission. We need him to be the best he’s ever been. Good enough to pull a fallen team out of the ditch and great enough to push the Suns back into relevancy overnight.
If that’s not too much to ask.
Reach Bickley at dbickley@arizonasports.com. Listen to Bickley & Marotta weekdays from 6 a.m. – 10 a.m. on 98.7 FM Arizona’s Sports Station.
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