Suns' Devin Booker confronts harsh reality of playing amid trade rumors

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The Phoenix Suns and trade rumors have been synchronized this season, and shooting guard Devin Booker has felt that to a significant degree. After all, his teammate, Bradley Beal has been at the center of those discussions surrounding Miami Heat superstar, Jimmy Butler.

Although Beal sent the Suns a strong reminder with his no-trade clause, it doesn’t mean that there’s no stopping the discussions. While Butler was given another suspension, it opened the doorway for a possible trade to go down. One day before, the Suns acquired three first-round draft picks from the Utah Jazz for their 2031 first-round pick.

At the end of the day, trade rumors are a harsh reality in the NBA. Phoenix is no different than any other team during any other season. Booker explained via AZCentral’s Duane Rankin after Wednesday’s game about the importance of taking everything, one game at a time.

“Nothing surprises you at this point,” Booker said. “A lot of things you hear end up never happening. Some things that you never hear end up happening. We just have to lock into what we do. We’re all professionals here that are getting paid. We’re going to keep doing what we got to do and focus on the present and what’s going on right now.”

Devin Booker says the Suns are locked in, despite trade rumors

Again, Beal’s no-trade clause makes things very interesting for Phoenix. He has the final say in a trade. Unlike other trades where an organization can trade them at a moment’s notice, Beal holds the cards. It’s caused a decent deal of friction. Not to mention, Beal was subsequently benched after the New Year, in an attempt to put some W’s in the win column.

As a result, it’s worked but there are still some problems. Interestingly enough, Phoenix lost to Charlotte, and Booker issued a firm demand to the Suns after that upset loss. They finished their five-game road trip with a 3-2 record. It wasn’t what they hoped for. However, acquiring center Nick Richards halfway through, and looking better is a quality sign.

In roughly two weeks, the NBA trade deadline will officially end. The specific date is February 6. After Phoenix acquiring more draft picks, and Butler’s suspension, it could be a matter of time before a move happens. However, it doesn’t mean that the rumors aren’t a distraction.

Even with Beal missing Wednesday’s game with an ankle sprain, some thought that he was on his way out. Despite that, he remained with the team and watched the blowout win. No matter what, the rumors will continue until that February 6 date. For now, Booker, and the rest of the team will continue to keep their focus on winning and playing consistent basketball.

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