Rockets Still Eying Suns Star Devin Booker?

It's bound to be a long summer of offseason trade news, rumors, reports, etc. - and Phoenix Suns star Devin Booker seems to (once again) be involved in those.

After a disaster season, the Suns are set to revamp the roster in massive ways - though the exact reconstruction of who stays/goes is still unclear.

Bradley Beal is seemingly on the way out in some form or fashion. The same fate is assumed for Kevin Durant.

As for Booker, Phoenix's prized possession, the Suns and owner Mat Ishbia were previously adamant they wouldn't deal him under any circumstance.

"Never happen," Ishbia told ESPN in an interview back in March on trading Booker. "It's silly. So here's what I'll tell you: I have Devin Booker in the prime. In order to win an NBA championship, you got to have a superstar. You got to have a great player."

The Houston Rockets have long been a team intrigued by Booker. To be fair, what team wouldn't? Booker, still in his prime, is one of the best players at his position.

With Phoenix set to make massive changes and Houston just one superstar away from being a true title contender, the Rockets/Suns have often been tabbed as trade partners in the near future.

The Athletic's Kelly Iko curiously listed Booker among other superstars Houston could aim for this offseason:

"Because of its youth, talent, draft capital and current position in the NBA — an exciting team on the rise — Houston will be a natural landing spot for bigger names this summer. Houston’s brass hoped to go as far as possible in the playoffs but is using this current campaign as data collection, a good tool for immediate and future evaluation. The likes of Kevin Durant, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Zion Williamson, and Devin Booker will be linked in the rumor mill in the coming weeks, all with different pros and cons depending on Houston’s direction. Team sources say the Rockets will monitor the market closely and will hold internal discussions about potential fits and offers."

When Houston first acquired Phoenix's slew of future draft picks, numerous reports suggested the Rockets had intended on making a push for Booker.

That was last season, though earlier in 2025 their interest in Phoenix's all-time leading scorer was still stated by Sports Illustrated's Chris Mannix, who was told the following by one NBA exec on Houston:

"Unless you are calling them about Booker, they are not interested."

Months later, that still apparently holds true.

It takes two to tango in trade discussions (sometimes more in the NBA), and even if Houston is very interested in landing Booker, the Suns themselves would have to give the green light - and that just isn't in the realm of possibility right now.

Still, it's very much not a secret who the Rockets have at the top of their list.