Stephen A. Smith Claims Devin Booker Wants To Join The Knicks Even Though ‘I Haven’t Spoken To Him’

The Phoenix Suns are about to enter quite the offseason. After getting swept by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the 2024 NBA Playoffs, Phoenix has to figure out how to navigate a situation where they have a crazy amount of money tied up in three players (Bradley Beal, Devin Booker, Kevin Durant) and next to no draft capital that can be used to improve the roster. For a team that entered the year with hopes of winning a championship, this is just about the worst-case scenario.

Finding a solution is going to be very difficult, so naturally, folks are going to hop onto the trade machine and try to throw together deals involving their stars. And on Monday’s edition of First Take, noted Knicks fan Stephen A. Smith indicated that he’s heard that Booker has his eyes on a move to New York, although it comes with a major caveat: He has not discussed this with Booker.

“From what I’m being told, I don’t know if it’ll ever happen, Devin Booker wants to be in New York,” Smith claimed. “That’s what I’m being told. That’s what I’m being told. Now, he might deny it. I haven’t spoken to him. I’m just telling you, the scuttlebutt in the NBA circles is that brother wanna be in New York. So, if you’re Phoenix you got at least two people, probably three, who are all getting paid about $150 million combined, don’t wanna be there.”

Emotions are always high after a playoff exit, particularly a high-profile one, but it’s again worth mentioning that Smith concedes he hasn’t talked about this with Booker. And after Sunday night’s loss that marked an end to their season, Booker’s comments to the media sure made it sound like he’s ready to run things back in Phoenix.

“Hopefully everybody is feeling the same type of hurt,” Booker said, per Baxter Holmes of ESPN. “I have to be better. Kevin has to be better. Brad has to be better. Coach has to be better. We’re the leaders of the team. We can’t be out there unprepared.”