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Sep 24, 2025; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) poses for portrait during Media Day at PHX Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Devin Booker Has 'Unfinished Business' With Suns

Originally posted on Phoenix Suns on SI | By Brendan Mau | Last updated Sep 24, 2025 6:36 PM ET

Phoenix Suns star guard Devin Booker reaffirmed his commitment to the Suns this summer by signing a record-breaking two-year extension that ties him to the franchise until 2030.

Booker, who became Phoenix's all-time leading scorer in February, has never wavered in his loyalty to the Suns since being drafted to Phoenix in 2015, staying with the team when they were one of the worst teams in the league his first few years to making the 2021 NBA Finals.

Now, he is the unquestioned leader of the franchise heading into the 2025-26 season after Phoenix traded away Kevin Durant and bought out Bradley Beal this summer.

"Guys move around all the time, and teams (are) moving guys around. So it's a partnership, it's a trust. (Owner) Mat (Ishbia) came in and understood the importance of how I felt about the city and how the city feels about me," Booker said at the team's media day Wednesday.

"But like I just said, from being at the bottom and almost getting the job done, I have unfinished business here. I know how much it would mean to this city and this organization. That's my job as a leader. It's my responsibility of being a franchise player. I have to communicate to everybody the importance of basketball in this town, and how seriously we take it."

Devin Booker on his commitment to the Suns: “From being at the bottom and almost getting the job done, I have unfinished business here. I know how much it would mean to the city and organization. That’s my job as a leader.” pic.twitter.com/oYpmndAh46
— Brendan Mau (@brendan_mau) September 24, 2025

Booker, who will be 29 next month, also understands that his leadership role is going to grow without Durant and Beal by his side as the Suns look to bounce back from a 36-46 record last season with a lot of youth surrounding him.

"The leadership aspect is going to be more important than ever this year, just realizing our roster, the age of our roster, and just the experience that I've had and what I've seen," Booker said. "So I'm gonna do what I can. Always gonna use my voice.

"Feel like I used my voice a lot last year too, but it just fell short. It wasn't as connected as we wanted to be. I don't think anybody had problems with each other off the court. We just simply weren't connected."

Mat Ishbia, Jordan Ott Are Very High on Booker's Leadership

Ishbia feels very fortunate to have Booker as the leader of the Suns and had an in-depth response on Booker's importance to the franchise.

"Devin Booker is the franchise player," Ishbia said. "He's one of the greatest Suns of all time, as we all know. He's been here his whole career. We obviously signed an extension to try to keep him here for his whole career.

"The best part about Devin is he wants to be here just like we want him here. And that's what a great marriage looks like, is everyone wants to be in it together. We're on the same team. We're completely aligned with what we believe and how we want to build this, and he's the guy. He's the franchise player.

"To compete for championships, you have to have a top-10, top-15 player in the NBA. And Devin Booker is that. And hopefully Devin Booker, he can step up even more, because he's that kind of guy. It's his team. It's very clear. There's no question about it ... anymore for sure, and I'm really excited about Devin."

The Suns enter in this new era with their fourth coach in as many seasons in Jordan Ott, who Booker had a big say in choosing as the next head coach.

Ott shared the same sentiment as Ishbia when discussing what having Booker as his top player means to him as he begins his head-coaching career.

"I think Mat said how lucky he is. How lucky am I?" Ott said. "First-year head coach to have a superstar, a guy that's proven in the league, a guy that's done it in every single level. NBA, Olympics, that's a blessing.

"And I think whatever's happened in the past has happened in the past. This is his team, and we're lucky again that he not only plays for Phoenix, he wants to live here. I've been around to different teams, to have your superstar in the state, in the city, in the gym is a major luxury for us.

"We talked about how the gym is built by guys being in there and work(ing). It starts at the top, and without his commitment with us in Phoenix, with the Phoenix Suns, (I'm) extremely, extremely grateful to him, and looking forward to continuing to build our relationship and see how this preseason into the regular season goes, and he's going to be a great partner for us as we go forward."