Devin Booker has been chasing the coveted Larry O’Brien trophy throughout his career but is yet to get his hands on it. Booker has even shared the floor with generational talents such as Kevin Durant, Chris Paul, and Bradley Beal to achieve this dream. However, Kenyon Martin thinks that playing with Ben Simmons might just do the trick for the Phoenix Suns star.
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During an episode of Gil’s Arena, the panel discussed the possibility of Booker winning a title with the Suns. Martin stated that the 2024-2025 Suns need to run their offense through a pass-first guard, which would unlock the true potential of the roster. The 2004 NBA All-Star used the examples of teams like the Golden State Warriors (with Draymond Green) and the Sacramento Kings (with Domantas Sabonis) to justify his take.
He thinks that the Suns are under-utilizing their firepower due to the lack of a pass-first floor general. And Simmons could be the perfect fit since he has been criticized for passing the ball too much instead of scoring.
“Go get you a Ben Simmons. He’s a pass-first and willing passer. You got KD who is one of the most efficient scorers we’ve ever seen. Devin Booker is turning into that,” Martin said.
Devin Booker needs Ben Simmons to win a Championship?! pic.twitter.com/zWzo2MXVJ8
— Gilbert Arenas (@GilsArenaShow) December 8, 2024
During his stint with the Philadelphia 76ers, Simmons was the primary playmaker. His impressive ball-distributing ability resulted in seven of his teammates averaging points in double-digits (in the 2018-2019 season).
Simmons isn’t performing at the same level as he did in Philly, making it difficult to count on him for consistent effectiveness. Moreover, pairing Simmons with Booker could harm the team’s chemistry, considering their shared history of dating Kendall Jenner. All in all, It is safe for Mike Budenholzer and co. to keep trusting Tyus Jones for the impressive performance he’s had so far.
Jones has been thriving in his role as a floor general
The Suns switched D-Book to the point guard position during the 2023-2024 season to accommodate three guards in their starting lineup. While this change did see the former Kentucky Wildcat average a career-high in assists per game, it took a slight toll on his role as a scorer.
Bringing in Jones has been extremely beneficial for the Suns. He’s spaced the floor pretty well, resulting in more three-pointers (15 per game; franchise best) being made. Further, turnovers per game have also reduced since the 2023-2024 season.
The Suns have the perfect lineup, but injuries have been their Achilles’ heel. They’re an impressive 11-2 with Kevin Durant on the court. But without him, they appear to be a completely different team, struggling with an abysmal 1-9 record.
It’s clear that roster construction isn’t the issue for them. It’s mostly chemistry and staying healthy.
