With all of the turmoil surrounding the Phoenix Suns after they missed the playoffs and fired first-year coach Mike Budenholzer, Devin Booker remains the focal point for the franchise.
According to ESPN's Brian Windhorst, the Suns plan to not only build around Booker this offseason, but offer him a two-year extension.
Windhorst wrote:
"Booker was the franchise player before Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal were acquired, and he remains the franchise player.
"He was the franchise player before Budenholzer and previous one-year coach Frank Vogel -- (Mat) Ishbia is on the hook for paying the departed coaches around $18 million combined next season, sources said -- and Booker remains so as he finishes the first season of a four-year, $220 million extension.
"Booker is eligible to sign a two-year, $149.8 million extension this summer, which Phoenix is expected to offer, sources said."
Booker has long said he wants to remain with the Suns his entire career, and owner Mat Ishbia has committed to building around him.
This offseason, as Windhorst pointed out, will be a tough test to find the right pieces to put around Booker as Durant's and Beal's names swirl in trade rumors.
"Still, because of the position the Suns put themselves in -- firmly in the second apron, with its severe salary cap limitations -- building quickly around Booker, a four-time All-Star, will be extremely challenging," Windhorst added.
It has been known that Booker would be the one constant this team would look to build around even with the mess they're facing right now.
How Ishbia and the Suns plan to do that remains to be seen, but this extension would solidify Booker's future with the team for years to come.
More must-reads: