SUN PROTECTION
Booker needs an enforcer to give him elbow room when the going gets tough
The Suns are about to fail Devin Booker again.
He can’t be getting into scraps with guys like Cam “Whatshisname” Whitmore like he did in the Suns 110-105 home win over the Houston Rockets on Thursday night.
I blame everyone except Kevin Durant.
Early in his career, Booker was saddled with a G League roster and a front office that was so inept someone should call Will Ferrell to make a movie about it.
Back in those days, Booker could be expected to get chippy with guys no one had ever heard of. He was trying to prove himself. That’s how it works early in your career. You fight anybody who steps into the arena.
But now? He’s got almost everything he needs to bring Phoenix its first NBA championship.
His tough-guy energy should be reserved for boss battles. Super Mario doesn’t waste his time on turtles and mushrooms, he’s there to bang with Big Bowser.
I’m OK with Booker vs. Luka Doncic. Or Booker vs. Paul George. But Cam Whatshisname?
A teammate’s responsibility
One of his teammates should have knocked that guy flatter than Houston’s road record (5-24) before it ever escalated to the point that Booker and Whatshisname had to be separated. (And, for the record, I’m talking about a hard screen or a physical foul in the paint. I’m not asking anybody to go all Draymond Green out there.)
I’m looking at you, Jusuf Nurkic and Drew Eubanks. You, too, Royce O’Neale. And all the rest of the guys who don’t have their own shoe deals.
You can’t let your star player fight all of his own fights.
Captain America had the Hulk. Reed
The front office needs to go get Booker somebody who will handle his light work . ... I’d love to see General Manager James Jones figure out a way to get PJ Tucker or Steven Adams, the kinds of guys who can hop into the middle of a skirmish and make sure everybody thinks twice before they throw a punch or an elbow.
Richards had the Thing. Magneto had Juggernaut.
You want it in basketball terms? Kobe Bryant had Metta World Peace, who we all knew was Ron Artest in disguise. Michael Jordan had Charles Oakley. And even Charles Barkley had Rick Mahorn.
Who’s Booker got?
Not a star’s job
Everybody knew Bryant, Jordan and Barkley were the wrong guys to pick on for a fight. And we all know that about Booker, too.
But at a certain point, we don’t need star players pushing and shoving anybody.
This is that point for Booker. Frankly, we’re long past that point.
The front office needs to go get Booker somebody who will handle his light work.
There’s got to be someone like that available in the buyout market who can be added before the playoffs.
I’d love to see General Manager James Jones figure out a way to get PJ Tucker or Steven Adams, the kinds of guys who can hop into the middle of a skirmish and make sure everybody thinks twice before they throw a punch or an elbow.
The Suns will need that kind of toughness going into the playoffs even if there are no fights that break out.
Otherwise, the Suns will have failed Devin Booker again.