3. Devin Booker
Previous Rank: 4
Devin Booker looks to be a fixture in a NBA backcourt for at least the next decade.
He has the gifts necessary to create a lot of offense, from his leaping ability to his 3-point shooting. He is perfectly suited as a shooting guard, and he will undoubtedly continue to play at a high level when Eric Bledsoe rejoins the team next year.
Booker averaged 13.8 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game, but he really had some whoppers late in the season and jumped up the rookie rankings rather quickly.
He was taken No. 13 in the draft, but he had five games with 30 points or more. Booker is capable of explosive scoring efforts. He scored 35 on 12-for-24 shooting in a loss to the Denver Nuggets on Mar. 10.
Booker attempted 20 or more field goals 10 times in the Suns’ last 24 games. Bledsoe will absorb a lot of those shots next season, but there is no reason the backcourt could not thrive with two big scorers. Certainly, the Portland Trail Blazers and Golden State Warriors have not had trouble managing a loaded backcourt.
The Suns have a lot of growth to make before establishing any sort of playoff contention. But Booker could make that happen sooner rather than later.
He is still just 19 year old, and a few teams are likely kicking themselves for not recognizing how good Booker is. He played on a loaded Kentucky Wildcats team and his stats were deflated because of that.
The eye test alone, however, should easily reveal a guy who can flat out play basketball.
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