Happy Friday! We made it through another week, and I hope yours was a good one!

I’ll get to Devin Booker’s contract extension below, but first, join PHNX Sports and our partners Chicken N’ Pickle and Big Brothers, Big Sisters at CNP Glendale for a two-person pickleball tournament on Saturday, July 26! All skill levels are welcome.

There will be two divisions, one for beginners and one for the more seasoned crew, and you can sign up as either an individual or a two-person team. Best of all, the tourney is indoors (!!!), and proceeds from the event go to Big Brothers, Big Sisters!

Finally, if you need a joke to get you through to the weekend, I’ve got you covered! Why don’t scientists trust atoms? Because they make up everything!

Let’s run it back next week. On to the show!

Booker’s Extension Highlights a Willingness To Make This Work

Some loved it, and some hated it, but no matter how you view Devin Booker’s record-setting extension with the Suns, loyalty from either side cannot be questioned.

Booker is in The Valley to stay, at least for now, and both sides still have much to prove.

The 28-year-old agreed to terms on a two-year, $145 million extension — the richest-ever of its kind in the NBA — taking him through the 2029-30 NBA season with salary numbers so astronomical they almost don’t feel real.

Just how crazy? His guaranteed salary is listed on Salary Swish as over $70 million in 2028-29, and $75.6 million in 2029-30.

I can’t even fathom that amount of money, but I can tell you the investment by the Suns, and the willingness by Booker to extend for two more seasons, highlights something that Phoenix fans should be relieved to see in a day an age where super teams rule:

Loyalty.

Suns, Booker Both Have Much to Prove After Deal

Look, I’m not just drinking the kool-aid, I swear. Just think about this logically for a minute — Booker was the subject of trade rumors, whether right or wrong, as general manager Brian Gregory continued to overhaul the roster heading into his first season at the helm.

I won’t claim to have any insider knowledge, because that’s reserved for reporters like Marc Stein and Gerald. That said, it’s not difficult to see the commitment from Gregory and owner Mat Ishbia considering they sought Booker’s input when hiring new coach Jordan Ott.

Would you really do that if you were considering trading your star player?

Ponying up the dough is only part of the equation. Gregory and Ishbia need to show they’re committed to building a winner around the 10-year NBA veteran, and they have already taken steps in that direction by:

• Trading up in the first round to select Khaman Maluach 10th overall
• Trading up in the second round to select Rasheer Fleming 31st overall
• Acquiring Mark Williams via trade
• Acquiring Dillon Brooks and Jalen Green

Much work remains for Gregory and Co, but there is nothing left to prove when it comes to their commitment to build around Book.

As for the Suns’ four-time All-Star, well, he’s not off the hook, either.

Booker needs to graduate into bonafide superstardom over the next few seasons, especially as he continues to age. He’s already over the NBA’s average player age (26, isn’t that crazy?!), and unicorns like Kevin Durant, who can compete at an elite level while pushing 40, are few and far between.

Booker’s health has been a strength considering he has played at least 64 games in six of his last seven seasons, and he has averaged 25-or-more points in every season since 2018-19. And perhaps most importantly, his commitment to the Phoenix community has endeared him to every Suns fan, if not sports fan, in The Valley.

But with all that said, Booker still needs to show he can be the guiding light toward the organization’s first-ever NBA championship, especially after fans watched it slip away just a few years ago.

Whether or not he can do that remains to be seen, but the Ishbia and Gregory unquestionably are betting on it — to the tune of $145 million.

Take a Deeper Dive: Gerald addresses the backlash to Booker’s extension in a must-read column.

Doing the Splits: The D-backs fell 4-3 in the series finale against the Padres last night, finishing the four-game set with two wins and two losses. Arizona wraps up its pre-All-Star break schedule with three games in L.A. against the Angels, beginning tonight at 6:38 pm.

Not Those Wildcats: A recent poll at On3 asked all 16 coaches to pick who they thought would win the Big 12 title game, and the Kansas State Wildcats won out with six total votes. The Sun Devils received four votes, while Texas Tech (3), TCU (2) and Baylor (1) rounded out the choices.

Summer League!: Make sure to join Erik, Espo and Shane as they report live from Vegas, helping Suns fans get their first glimpse of the highly anticipated Khaman Maluach and Rasheer Fleming. The crew will have you covered all weekend long, so make sure to follow us on all the socials and check in on our YouTube channel!

On the Road Again: Rising FC hits the road to face Oakland Roots FC on Saturday (7 pm, Arizona’s Family Sports), looking to bounce back after a 1-0 loss to Lexington SC on July 4. Phoenix is four spots ahead of Oakland in the USL Western Conference table, and a win would go a long way toward another playoff appearance this fall.

Tip Of The Hat By Branded Bills

As if you needed more proof from Ishbia — here you go: