For many years, Pistons fans have dreamed of adding Michigan native Devin Booker as a backcourt mate for Cade Cunningham. However, the longshot fantasy has never seemed realistic and now it's been shot down yet again by Suns owner Mat Ishbia. When Ishbia was asked when he would trade Booker to Detroit recently he responded "When I'm dead!"
The Pistons might have hope of finding a proven running mate for Cade in the trade market, but Booker is not the solution. Not only are the Suns committed to him, but his massive contract also makes the financial side of things extremely complicated. It'll be hard for any team to pry him out of the desert, let alone the Pistons after Ishbia's proclamation.
The Suns fully intend to hang on to Booker
The Suns are caught in a weird purgatory as long as they have Booker. He's not quite good enough to make them a perennial powerhouse but also too good (especially when surrounded with quality support pieces) to let them tank fully. They already made some big bets a few seasons ago in hopes of title contention when they traded a huge package for Kevin Durant.
Durant's time with the Suns didn't work out but Phoenix got a decent return package for him. In particular, getting Dillon Brooks in that trade seems like a stroke of good luck after his career-best season last year. Players like Brooks and Booker make it hard for the Suns to tear down their roster and rebuild now, but Booker has too much sentimental value for the Suns to trade him.
He's already the franchise leader in points and helped guide the Suns to some of their best seasons in this century: a trip to the Finals in 2021 and a 64-win season the following year. That helped him garner a massive contract extension that will pay out over $60 million per season over the next 4 years. It's also put the Suns in a very tricky financial spot where their options are very limited thanks to the huge contract.
The Pistons have no realistic shot at Booker
Booker's contract alone makes any trade for him a nightmare. But the Pistons also lack assets that the Suns would value in a post-Booker era. They don't have any extremely valuable draft picks, since the Pistons are expected to make the playoffs every year for the foreseeable future. Detroit's young players also haven't shown much star potential, except for the ones they would want to keep on the roster.
If the Pistons aren't able to offer a substantial trade package, the Suns will never accept an offer for Booker. Between Phoenix's attachment to its franchise icon and Detroit's relative lack of strong assets, this deal seems dead upon arrival.
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