MACAU, CHINA – Devin Booker has
seen every version of the Phoenix Suns since he was drafted in
2015. He’s lived through the lottery years, guided the franchise
back to playoff relevance, reached the NBA Finals, and helped
redefine the Suns’ identity as an enticing star player destination.
Now, entering the 2025-26 NBA season, Booker stands at the center
of yet another chapter – but one that’s less about contention and
more about construction.

“I always say we’re all blessed
to be in a position that we are — to play the sport that we love,”
Booker told BasketballNews.com in a postgame interview after their
game vs the Brooklyn Nets during the 2025 NBA China Games in Macau.
“I just take it day by day, try to improve, try to learn, and give
advice and lead at the same time. So, whatever situation that has
been thrown at me, I just take it for what it is. I love the
situation that we’re in now, and we’re building. We’re building for
the start of the season, and today was a good step
forward.”

It’s a fitting perspective for a
player who’s evolved as much as the franchise itself. Booker
entered the league as a 18-year-old microwave scorer and has since
become the longest-tenured Sun, the team’s all-time leading scorer,
and its emotional anchor. His growth mirrors the Suns’ decade-long
climb – from rebuilding project to Finals contender to, once again,
a team recalibrating its future.

From contender to transition

The Suns’ transformation over
the past few months has been striking. After some seasons built
around a star-heavy core of Booker, Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal,
Phoenix decided to reset. Durant was traded in a major offseason
move, while Beal’s contract was bought out. The organization also
brought in new leadership, hiring Brian Gregory as general manager
and Jordan Ott as head coach.

Phoenix retooled its roster with
an eye toward the future – adding dynamic young talents like Jalen
Green and Dillon Brooks, while drafting rookie center Khaman
Maluach. The changes signal a somewhat long-term vision rather than
an all-in championship chase, but one thing remains constant: this
is still Booker’s team.

This summer, that commitment
became official. The Suns signed Booker to a two-year, $145 million
extension, keeping him in Phoenix through 2030 – a statement of
belief in his leadership and loyalty.

Embracing the responsibility

Booker’s tone in Macau wasn’t
that of a superstar frustrated by change, but of someone embracing
it. His focus, he said, is on growth – both his own and that of the
group around him.

That attitude could define the
Suns’ season. With a new system under Ott and a younger supporting
cast, Phoenix will rely heavily on Booker’s leadership,
consistency, and voice. He’s been through the highs and lows, from
the grind of early rebuilds to the heartbreak of losing on the
game’s biggest stage.

Now, his mission shifts: guiding
the next wave of Suns through their own learning curve.

“I just take it day by day,” he
repeated. “Try to improve, try to learn, and lead at the same
time.”

– – –

The 2025 NBA China Games – the
league’s first trip back to China in six years – provided the
perfect stage for this new-look Suns team to show early signs of
progress. Against the Brooklyn Nets, Phoenix displayed flashes of
renewed energy and cohesion, with Booker setting the tone both on
and off the floor.

For a franchise seeking to
rebuild its foundation, the preseason trip offered something: a
reminder that new beginnings often come with
opportunity.

The regular season begins later
this month, and expectations around the Suns are tempered. But for
Booker, the focus isn’t on predicting where Phoenix will finish –
it’s on building the right habits, fostering growth, and setting a
standard for what’s next.

Through all the changes from
front offices, teammates, and coaching staffs, Devin Booker has
remained the constant. He’s carried the Suns from obscurity to
contention, and now he’s steering them into a new era with patience
and purpose.

If the Suns’ future depends on
leadership and belief, they have both in their cornerstone.
“Whatever situation that’s been thrown at me, I just take it for
what it is,” Booker said. “I love the situation that we’re in now,
and we’re building.”

In a time of transition, that’s
exactly the kind of message Phoenix needs from their bonafide
franchise star.