Phoenix Suns’ Draft Alludes to Devin Booker’s Future

In trading Kevin Durant in the days leading up to the 2025 NBA Draft, the Phoenix Suns thrust themselves into fairly unknown territory.

Since drafting Devin Booker with the No. 13 pick a decade ago, the team has been singularly focused on building a contender around him. They essentially did so with the Chris Paul-centric teams that earned a Finals appearance, and attempted the same with Durant, to much less success.

But Durant’s trade put Booker’s tenure with the Suns into question for the first time ever, even if just for a moment. In return for the 36-year-old, Phoenix received a project guard in Jalen Green — who plays a similar role to Booker — as well as veteran Dillon Brooks and the No. 10 pick in the ’25 draft. One couldn’t be faulted for thinking the Suns were potentially pivoting to a full-scale rebuild, with Booker potentially the next in line of unfortunate trade casualties. 

At the draft just days later, though, the Suns’ plans were somewhat revealed: Devin Booker is likely to remain in Phoenix.

With two picks, the Suns added role players. Two prospects who will slot in and offer a handful of ancillary skills, hopefully sooner rather than later. 

The first of which was Khaman Maluach, taken with the pick acquired in the Durant deal. At 7-foot-2, he offers a lengthy rim runner and protector who helped Duke to the Final Four, blocking shots and adding offense where he could.

There's likely little chance Maluach will be able to start soon — as showcased by the team adding Mark Williams in a draft-night trade — but he should offer a future starting five that can meld into the modern NBA well.

In trading up to No. 31 on Day 2 of the 2025 draft, Phoenix was also able to nab Rasheer Fleming, one of the top fallers, though still a valued prospect given the rumors surrounding the first pick of the second round.

At 6-foot-9 — with an abnormally long 7-foot-5 wingspan — Fleming projects to be a role player, too, adding versatile defense, slashing and 3-point shooting as a forward. The NBA will be a big jump for him, and he'll likely need plenty of time to get his sea legs, but he'll be able to impact the game in a similarly niche way.

With their two picks, Phoenix took a shot on high-level role players, opposed to star gambles that were certainly waiting in both spots. Had the team opted to take more project-y selections, it could've been a sign Booker wasn't long for the team. Instead, it seems the Suns are lookig to reload around him as they press on in a deep Western Conference.