Suns Star Ranked Among Best Second Options

Devin Booker is still viewed in a positive light despite not being considered a No. 1 option.

Apr 10, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) controls the ball against the Los Angeles Clippers during the second half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

PHOENIX -- The 2024-25 Phoenix Suns season is upon us - and now is the time that lists are coming in full force - this is no different.

Ben Rohrbach of Yahoo Sports recently started a series in which all 30 teams are ranked, in order, based around the top five options on the roster - rather than by position.

Rohrbach had to start off the second day of the series by giving an exact definition of what a "number 2" is - as that debate can tend to lead to a lack of clarity at times.

"What is a No. 2? He is, generally, the team's second option on offense. He can be an All-Star. In fact, he better be an All-Star if you want to compete for a championship. Maybe his skill level is a hair below his top teammate. Maybe his skill set is more complementary. Or maybe his personality is more obsequious.

"Whatever the case, he understands he is not the No. 1, and that is what is most important. Teams do not reach their potential when the No. 2 believes he is the No. 1. All the greats had a Hall of Fame No. 2, and all of them knew where they stood. Bill Russell had Bob Cousy. Michael Jordan had Scottie Pippen. Larry Bird had Kevin McHale. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar had Oscar Robertson, then Magic Johnson, and then Magic flipped it. Shaquille O'Neal had Kobe Bryant, who then had Pau Gasol. It has a way of sorting itself out."

- Rohrbach defining 2nd options

While an argument could certainly be made that the Suns' offense runs through Booker over teammate Kevin Durant, Rohrbach believes that Durant's reputation gives him the edge as the "alpha" of the team - and he was ranked as the 10th-best top option in the league in the first day of this series.

"Booker was the best player as a 24-year-old on a team that reached the NBA Finals — and featured a ton of talent — in 2021. He is now squarely in his prime, serving as "unsung MVP" of Team USA's run to the Olympic gold medal. He is a pure scorer with a telegenic jump shot whose defense has steadily improved.

"Booker was Phoenix's alpha until the arrival of Kevin Durant, whose deferential demeanor belies a game that demands deference. Durant is one of the 15 greatest players ever, and he was once the No. 1 on a team that boasted Stephen Curry. Just ask his two Finals MVPs. As much as we poke fun at Durant's ring-chasing tour, his legacy is greater than every active player but one (or two), and that commands respect.

"Whether the Suns would be better off if the team ran through Booker instead of a 36-year-old Durant is a legit question. Chris Paul is a table-setter by nature, so he and Booker easily struck a balance, but that is harder when your co-star is the most talented scoring forward in league history. They do what each other does, and solving that dynamic takes more than a single season. At least that is the hope in Phoenix."

- Rohrbach on Booker

The Durant-Booker dynamic has been quite fruitful for Phoenix - as the Suns have posted a 46-23 record when both see the floor.

The unique skillset Durant possesses at his size along with Booker's polished game and assassin mindset give the Suns one of the most talented duos in recent years - while Booker remains among the elite players in the game, let alone elite second options.

Booker was only ranked below Anthony Davis of the Los Angeles Lakers on this ranking.