Mat Ishbia says Suns are not trading Devin Booker

Never mind that there are plenty of rival executives who would advise Ishbia and the Suns to consider listening to offers, specifically from the Houston Rockets, who control a significant chunk of Phoenix’s future first-round capital (2025 swap rights, 2027 and 2029 picks, all unprotected) via a deal with the Brooklyn Nets. Sources have told ESPN that the Rockets have repeatedly expressed interest in Booker, a 28-year-old star who fits Houston’s timeline, and that those conversations have been brief. “Never happen,” Ishbia said, interrupting the question. “It’s silly. So here’s what I’ll tell you: I have Devin Booker in the prime. In order to win an NBA championship, you got to have a superstar. You got to have a great player.”Source: ESPN

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

Chuck Swirsky @ctsbulls
RIP award winning writer John Feinstein during my days as a college basketball announcer with DePaul and the University of Michigan, our paths crossed many, many times and he was a great conversationalist. His book on Bobby Knight was magnificent. Sincere condolences to his – 3:08 PM

Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
“Nah. Obviously I’m biased, but I feel like Steven tried to pick him up and slam him and Mason happened to just be on top of him.”
Devin Booker on Plumlee-Adams ejections in Suns loss to Rockets.
On 17 turnovers leading to 18 Houston points: “We don’t talk about the spacing on pic.x.com/gnO8jMwu71 – 12:40 AM

Gerald Bourguet @GeraldBourguet
Final: HOU 111, PHX 104
Beal: 25 Pts, 9-14 FG, 7-7 FT
Durant: 19 Pts, 7 Reb, 8-12 FG
Booker: 19 Pts, 4 Ast, 7-15 FG
Ighodaro: 8 Pts, 6 Reb, 4 Blk, 4-4 FG
Green: 29-7-4-3, 8-16 FG – 10:23 PM

Gerald Bourguet @GeraldBourguet
Halftime: HOU 57, PHX 52
Beal: 13 Pts, 2 Ast, 6-11 FG
Durant: 9 Pts, 4-6 FG
Booker: 10 Pts, 3 Ast, 4-7 FG
Green: 15 Pts, 4 Reb, 2 Stl, 6-10 FG
Get ready for lots of Oso Ighodaro and small-ball after Mason Plumlee’s ejection! – 9:08 PM

Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
Booker 4 quick points. Suns down 3. Timeout Rockets with 8:14 left in half. #Suns – 8:47 PM

Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
Suns starting lineup at Rockets:
Bradley Beal
Devin Booker
Royce O’Neale
Kevin Durant
Mason Plumlee #Suns – 7:34 PM

David Hardisty @clutchfans
Rockets starting lineup:
G – Fred VanVleet
G – Jalen Green
F – Dillon Brooks
F – Tari Eason
C – Alperen Sengun
Suns:
G – Devin Booker
G – Bradley Beal
F – Royce O’Neale
F – Kevin Durant
C – Mason Plumlee – 7:33 PM

Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
Physicality.
That’s how Rockets coach Ime Udoka wants Houston to defend Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal in tonight’s game.
Suns were w/o Booker and Beal in their last meeting Phoenix lost before #NBAAllStar2025 break.
Durant committed seven turnovers. Udoka noted pic.x.com/TDpxxC0k8e – 7:22 PM

Gerald Bourguet @GeraldBourguet
Daredevil: Born Again is off to an incredible start in my book. 3-for-3 on absolute bangers – 3:11 PM

More on this storyline

Nor will Booker request a trade, regardless of how the Suns finish this season. Booker says he is fully committed to spending his entire career in Phoenix, sharing that vision with Ishbia and the Suns’ lead executives, CEO Josh Bartelstein and general manager James Jones. -via ESPN / March 14, 2025

“I mean, it’s a rare breed,” Booker told ESPN, wearing a T-shirt with his idol Kobe Bryant’s Black Mamba logo as he explained after a recent shootaround why playing for only one franchise is so important to him. “I take pride in the community in Phoenix, the people that have supported me since I was 18 when things were ugly. And the people that are with us, we just fell short of accomplishing what we want. So I want to do it, and I want to do it here. “That’s the responsibility of being a franchise player, and I wear that with honor. So it might not look the most pretty right now, but we got to get it done and I’m going to do it.” -via ESPN / March 14, 2025

And if they don’t, Phoenix’s front office will again explore all sorts of potential personnel scenarios as the Suns search for solutions while operating under Ishbia’s “all-in” mandate. According to Ishbia, a “pivot and reload” around Booker could be the direction the franchise chooses this summer. The futures of Beal and Durant in Phoenix are uncertain after the Suns engaged in trade discussions involving them before this year’s deadline. The belief within the front office is that the Suns aren’t as far away from contending as the standings indicate. As a source close to Ishbia said, “For better or worse, there’s no ‘trust the process’ to Mat Ishbia.” -via ESPN / March 14, 2025

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