Devin Booker demands trade after missing out on playoffs for FIFTH year in a row?

Devin Booker's future heading into the 2020-21 NBA season is reportedly up in the air. Entering his sixth season in the NBA, the talented guard is yet to reach the NBA playoffs, having narrowly missed out on qualification in the recently-concluded season. With a rumoured interest from new management-backed New York Knicks, it remains to be seen if the Pheonix Suns can keep hold of their star man when the new season starts. 

Devin Booker Knicks trade?

NBA analyst Ryen Russillo says 'Devin Booker wants out of Pheonix' is the worst-kept secret in the NBA. During his recent appearance on The Bill Simmons Podcast, Russillo discussed the possibility of Booker leaving the Suns before the new season starts. Russillo says the Knicks' new president Leon Rose could look to bring Booker to New York, especially considering Rose was the former agent of Booker during his Kentucky days. 

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Another one of Rose's client in the conversation was Minnesota Timberwolves' Karl-Anthony Towns. However, last year's mid-season arrival D'Angelo Russell from the Golden State Warriors means it would be difficult to convince Minnesota to trade for Towns. That leaves a Devin Booker trade as the clear option for Leon Rose looking to make his first big as the president of the Knicks.

After missing the playoffs for the third consecutive season in his NBA career in 2018, Booker told reporters that this will likely be his "last year ever not making the playoffs.” Booker went onto miss out on the playoffs in 2019 and 2020. Furthermore, The Suns have not made the playoffs for the last 10 years. They last reached the Western Conference finals in the 2009-10 season. 

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Devin Booker leaving Suns?

Just as the 'Devin Booker demands trade' report started gaining traction online, fellow NBA analyst John Gambadoro has squashed rumours of Booker looking to leave the Suns anytime soon. This seems extremely plausible considering the Booker is coming off his best season with the Suns after they ended the season at 34-39. The Suns were also the only side that went unbeaten during the latter part of the season when it restarted in Orlando. Phoenix posted an 8-0 record, better than eventual NBA champions, Los Angeles Lakers. 

Individually, Booker established himself as the Suns' central player during the course of the 2019-20 season, which also earned him his first All-Star selection. The 24-year-old averaged 26.6 points (same as the previous season), 6.5 assists and 4.2 rebounds per game. He averaged an impressive 31 points per game during the All-Seeding games in Orlando. Booker also has four years left on his $158 million, five-year contract extension he signed in 2018. 

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(Image Credits: AP)