NBA Rumors: Devin Booker To Lakers, Knicks Or Celtics?

NBA Rumors: Devin Booker To Lakers, Knicks Or Celtics?

Is Devin Booker getting traded to the Los Angeles Lakers, New York Knicks or Boston Celtics?

It is unlikely, but stranger things have happened.

Booker has widely been viewed as a cornerstone of the Phoenix Suns rebuild effort ever since he was drafted in 2015.

Despite being only 22 years old, Booker has spent four years in the NBA.

Related: Will Lakers Waive DeMarcus Cousins After His Death Threat Tape Leak?

Having that much professional experience carries with it both positives and negatives.

On the positive side, his talent is undeniable.

Last year, Booker averaged 26.6 points per game and 6.8 assists. He has averaged at least 20 points per game every season since his rookie campaign.

On the negative side, Booker has never even come close to sniffing a playoff series.

Related: NBA Rumors: Lakers To Sign Andre Iguodala, Carmelo Anthony Or Taj Gibson?

Moreover, Phoenix has never even been marginally good during his time as the team’s marquee star.

Now a reasonable case can obviously be made that Booker never had much talent around him and that he plays in the West, but his record still speaks for itself.

Recently, a certain amount of chatter began to develop in internet circles that Booker may not be long for Phoenix if they don’t get off to a good start.

Related: Lakers Trading Kuzma, McGree and KCP for Bradley Beal?

To be clear – nobody is expecting them to compete for a title. But some semblance of competent team basketball would be nice.

So if things don’t go well for the Suns to start the year and they do decide to move Booker, where could he go?

Well, there are a few options.

Related: NBA Rumors: Can Lakers Trade Anthony Davis To Knicks For Julius Randle, Kevin Knox?

The Lakers are in every trade conversation because, frankly, everyone realizes they have a very small window of championship potential.

Bradley Beal seemed like he would be the ideal offensive player for them to pick up to pair alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis, but Booker could work as well.

What would Los Angeles have to give up? Kyle Kuzma, at the very least. And probably a whole lot more.

If the Lakers are not able to gather enough assets to make a move, then the Knicks might.

Related: Will Notre Dame Be Banned From The College Football Playoff?

New York would have to give up at least Julius Randle, Mitchell Robinson and/or Kevin Knox, and then probably RJ Barrett as well.

If not New York, the Celtics figure to be in the conversation as well.

Related: Will Colin Kaepernick Sign With Seahawks, Cowboys, Packers Or Browns?

Boston is better than anyone in the world at stockpiling assets and then not trading them for anyone good, but you have to figure that even Danny Ainge would pull the trigger on a deal for Booker.

The Celtics are going to trot out a noticeably worse team this season, so if things get off to a bad start, it would not be all that shocking to see them try to pull off a deal for Booker.

Related: Will Andrew Luck Sign With The Dallas Cowboys?

All of that being said, it is important to remember that Booker is under contract until 2023-24.

He signed a massive five-year, $158 million deal and won’t simply be able to walk out the door if he doesn’t like the way things are going in Phoenix.

With that in mind, as we have seen countless times in the NBA, when a superstar wants out or a team wants them gone – it will inevitably happen.

Related: NBA Rumors: Carmelo Anthony Signing With Lakers, Clippers, Knicks Or Nets?

Anthony Amador

A graduate from the University of Texas, Anthony Amador has been credentialed to cover the Houston Texans, Dallas Cowboys, San Antonio Spurs, Dallas Mavericks and high school games all over the Lone Star State. Currently, his primary beats are the NBA, MLB, NFL and UFC.