Devin Booker signed NBA history on July 10, 2025 Two years, $145 million in the largest expansion With the Phoenix Sun. The deal is the wealthiest annual salary in league history, cementing Booker’s position as a franchise and conveying a clear message about the Suns’ guidance for the remainder of the decade.
Decompose transactions
The agreement will keep Booker in Phoenix before the 2029-30 NBA season ends. The extension averages $72.5 million a year, slightly eliminating the recent record set by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, whose four-year contract with Oklahoma City averages over $71 million a year.
According to the AZ family, the Sun constitutes a contract to give Booker a 35% cap of 2028-29 or 105% of the previous year’s salary, whichever is higher. This ensures that the deal remains at its highest level under the NBA’s collective bargaining agreement.
Why does the Sun do this
Phoenix built an expansion signal around Devin Booker. Although the team’s recent history has been a roller coaster – from the 2021 final debut to the 2025 missed the playoffs – the front desk clearly believes that Booker remains the cornerstone of any future debate.
Kevin Durant went to Houston and Bradley Beal’s future uncertain, and the Sun seemed to hand the rope to Booker completely. Team sources said Booker was heavily involved in the choice of new head coach Jordan Ott, indicating that his impact on team decisions is now far beyond the court.
Too many?
Critics believe that such a contract may be a payment from a player who has not exceeded the second round since the team. Booker is four All-Star and two All-NBA trials, but some analysts point out that he lacks MVP-Calibre’s praise, often accompanied by such a historic salary.
However, it is difficult to object to reward loyalty. Booker spent his entire career at Phoenix and became the all-time leading scorer for the franchise, keeping his promise even with fundamental changes in the lineup. In this era, stars often change their teams to chase championships, and there is very little level of commitment.
Financial impact
From a salary cap perspective, this expansion will give Phoenix a closer financial flexibility. If Beal stays, the Suns can be included in the luxury tax, with three players making over $50 million each. Unless severe measures are taken to lower salaries, there is little room for signing depth or to make a lot of mid-seasonal space.
On the other hand, veterans who lock a superstar in a young player chasing a ring or seeking guidance may be attractive. The Suns could turn to a model similar to what Miami did with Jimmy Butler – building a central character and adjusting season to season based on availability and value contracts.
Increased player valuation
Booker’s trading is the latest sign that the NBA’s financial landscape is rapidly changing. Players’ salaries (especially for top stars) are climbing to unprecedented levels as media rights revenues and international expansion drive league revenue.
This extension may be a trend. Other elite players entering their 20s may now push for short-term, high-value deals rather than long-term security. The model provides players with flexibility while still maintaining generational wealth and provides a more stringent window for the team to have elite talents.
Legacy Factors
Booker is already a Phoenix idol. He is the franchise’s all-time leading scorer, setting records for most three-pointers and being the engine of their 2021 finals. But the recent lack of postseason success rate lies in his legacy.
The contract may be his definition window. If the Suns don’t compete in 2030, Booker risked being remembered as a great scorer who never translated his talents into a consistent win. If they can build a contender around him (VIA deals, draft picks or unexpected breakthrough stars), his position in NBA history could rise dramatically.
What will happen next to the sun
There are several ways to do this in Phoenix’s next five years:
- Run backwards: Keep Booker and Beal, add veteran role-players, and hope that Jordan Ott’s system will produce playoff basketball.
- To Youth Hub: Use Booker as a mentor and reset the roster through drafts and smart deals, with the focus on building 2027-30 years.
- Go all out again: Packing the future draft picks and young assets for Booker to win co-star, repeating the “Superteam” strategy of the Durant-ers era.
These paths are not easy. The West is stacked together, with Oklahoma City, Denver and Minnesota all rising. The sun must be strategic, not desperate.
Alliance-wide impact
The contract echoed far beyond Phoenix. It marks a shift in structure and expectations for superstar expansion. The team will have to decide whether to follow the Suns prospects or stick to more conservative long-term deals. Meanwhile, players may now prioritize guaranteed leverage and flexibility.
Furthermore, this could reignite debates about maximum contract and ceiling inflation. Should the league revisit 35% of CAP MAX if the superstar continues to sign $75 million a year? If the cap percentage doesn’t keep pace with market value, stars may continue to pursue shorter, more aggressive deals.
The final thought
Devin Booker’s new deal is a milestone moment for players and franchise. It represents faith, risk and ambition in the same way. Whether there is a reward will be entirely dependent on what is happening between the courtroom, the front desk and the locker room.
Booker Bet phoenix and Phoenix Bet Booker. The next five years will determine who wins the bet.
