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The Suns $158 million man getting better this summer — but how much better?

Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker working on his game in California and Team USA minicamp

NBA: Phoenix Suns at Dallas Mavericks Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

For those of you who don’t spend all day searching YouTube, Twitter and other social media for highlights of Suns players over the summer, here you go.

Here is Devin Booker getting some run in California, with guys like best buddy Tyler Ulis, Zach Randolph, Denzel Valentine and Brandon Jennings.

And now here’s Booker in a little one-on-one with Kevin Durant while they minicamped in Vegas for Team USA.

Your $158 million man is doing everything he can to get better this summer.

How much better can he get?

Last year, Devin Booker averaged 24.9 points, 4.5 rebounds and 4.7 assists along with a 38% three point percentage, 50.1% effective field goal percentage (giving extra credit for 3s), and 56.1% true shooting percentage (including free throws AND extra credit for 3s).

In the entire history of the NBA, only Devin Booker, LeBron James and Michael Jordan have EVER posted 24/4.5/4.5 on 56% TS at 21 years old or younger. Ever.

That 56% TS rate is a picture of efficiency, and yes you’re allowed to ooh and ahh about Booker doing at such high usage rate, while being double- and triple-teamed as the only real threat opponents had to scheme against when playing the Suns last year.

If you lower the scoring bar to 20 points per game with all else the same (4.5/4.5/56/21) ... only Magic Johnson pops onto the list.

You have to go all the way down to 16 points per game with 4.5/4.5/56/age 21 to add another name to the list: Nikola Jokic.

It’s okay to be proud of Devin, Suns fans.

Okay, fine — let’s expand the AGE requirement a bit. Lots of players played longer in college and thus never had the chance to put up ANY numbers in the NBA before turning 22.

If you change the bar to 23 years old, the 24/4.5/4.5/56/age 23 list widens to include All-Stars Dwyane Wade, Gilbert Arenas, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Tracy McGrady and David Thompson.

Interestingly, neither LBJ nor MJ repeated their 24/4.5/4.5 on 56% TS at age 22, only achieving that rate again at age 23.

In fact, no player in NBA history has achieved 24/4.5/4.5 on 56% TS at age 22. Weird, huh?

What will become of Devin Booker this year?

Can he get better?

Poll

Can Devin Booker improve on 24/4.5/4.5/56 in 2018-19?

This poll is closed

  • 67%
    Yes, he will become the first-ever 22-year-old to post those stats or better
    (841 votes)
  • 13%
    No, some number will drop in 2018-19 like it did for MJ and LBJ
    (163 votes)
  • 19%
    This is dumb
    (244 votes)
1248 votes total Vote Now

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