{"id":360796,"date":"2025-12-20T23:14:13","date_gmt":"2025-12-20T23:14:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/360796\/"},"modified":"2025-12-20T23:14:13","modified_gmt":"2025-12-20T23:14:13","slug":"earl-watson-threatened-to-leave-suns-if-booker-was-traded","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/360796\/","title":{"rendered":"Earl Watson threatened to leave Suns if Booker was traded"},"content":{"rendered":"

Devin Booker is in his 11th season with the Phoenix Suns and became the franchise\u2019s all-time scoring leader in February. According to former Suns coach Earl Watson, however, this long-lasting tenure was in danger not even two years in and he threatened to step down if it came to an abrupt end.<\/p>\n

Watson said Tuesday on the Milwaukee Bucks Plus Audio podcast<\/a> that previous Suns owner Robert Sarver in February 2017 suggested that the team trade Booker, then just a second-year pro, for Jimmy Butler. Butler, at the time, was in his sixth year with the Chicago Bulls.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am the biggest Devin Booker<\/a> advocate,\u201d Watson said. \u201cThat (move) could\u2019ve changed my entire coaching trajectory. \u2026 In that moment, and this was the beginning of the end of me in Phoenix, I say, \u2018If you trade Devin Booker, I\u2019m resigning tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n

Watson said Sarver had texted him around 2 a.m. during a road trip to discuss the potential trade. Though he admitted that he could envision working with Butler, Watson didn\u2019t want to be the one to trade Booker.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s one thing I learned from coach (John) Wooden, he said, \u2018Belief is stronger than reality. If you have a player that makes that locker room believe, then you have a chance,’\u201d Watson said. \u201cAnd Devin Booker is that type of player.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd in that moment Sarver said, \u2018If we don\u2019t trade him, we\u2019re gonna try to get the No. 1 pick (in the 2017 NBA Draft) and your coaching record will be shot.\u2019 And I just rolled with that.\u201d<\/p>\n

This late-night trade conversation notably took place about a month before Booker became the sixth player at the time \u2014 the current tally is 10 \u2014 to score 70 or more points in a game. He accomplished the feat in a 130-120 loss to the Boston Celtics with 70 points on 21 for 40 shooting (24 for 26 from the free throw line).<\/p>\n

Watson served as the Suns interim coach for the final three months of the 2015-16 season after Jeff Hornacek was fired before assuming the head coaching position on a three-year deal. He led Phoenix to a 24-58 record in 2016-17 before an 0-3 start to the following season ended in Watson\u2019s firing.<\/p>\n

Interest in Butler should sound familiar, as Phoenix was linked<\/a> to the six-time All-Star last December but a Kevin Durant reluctant to leave for the Golden State Warriors killed any trade momentum.<\/p>\n

In what ended up being his final season playing for Chicago, Butler made Third Team All-NBA with 22.2 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game. Booker, for comparison\u2019s sake, followed up his All-Rookie season with 22.1 points, 3.2 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game. His 36.3% from 3 in 2016-17 is still his fourth-best clip.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m 34, 35 years old, I\u2019m thinking I\u2019ve got a lifetime to coach,\u201d Watson said. \u201cBut I also got a chance to change this kid\u2019s life, who I think is amazing and spectacular.<\/p>\n

\u201cI want to have an imprint on this organization whether I\u2019m here or not, that forever I set them up to have a chance moving forward.\u201d<\/p>\n

Booker is signed through the 2029-30 season and prior to the current campaign said he has \u201cunfinished business\u201d in bringing Phoenix an NBA title.<\/p>\n

Follow @pwmoses11<\/a><\/p>\n

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