After scoring 37 points in the Suns’ 124-108 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers last night in his 66th game played this season, Phoenix Suns star guard Devin Booker is now eligible for NBA awards.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!“No player shall be eligible for NBA Most Valuable Player, NBA Defensive Player of the Year, NBA Most Improved Player, All-NBA Team (First, Second, or Third), or NBA All-Defensive Team (First or Second) honors (the “Applicable Generally Recognized League Honors”) for a Season unless the player has satisfied at least one of the following criteria (the “Award Eligibility Criteria”) in respect of such Season: (1) the player played in at least sixty-five (65) Regular Season games; or (2) the player (A) played in at least sixty-two (62) Regular Season games, (B) suffered a “season-ending injury” (as defined below), and (C) played in at least eighty-five percent (85%) of the Regular Season games played by his Team prior to the player suffering such injury.”
The reason that Booker had to reach 66 games rather than 65 is because he was ejected after playing five minutes in the Suns’ Feb. 14 victory over the Detroit Pistons.
The CBA has specific requirements for what a regular season game means for awards:
“A player shall be considered to have played in a Regular Season game if he played at least twenty (20) minutes of such game, provided that in respect of no more than two (2) Regular Season games per Season, such player will be considered to have played in a Regular Season game if he played at least fifteen (15) minutes and fewer than twenty (20) minutes in such game.”
Why this is a big deal
When Booker, who has dealt with several injuries this season, suffered what looked to be a bad ankle sprain on March 2 against the Rockets, there were a lot of questions if he would end up being eligible for postseason awards. He had played 50 games up to that point (including the Detroit game), so he could only miss a maximum of seven games for the remainder of the season. Luckily, he only missed four due to the injury and hasn’t been out since.
With only two games remaining in the season for the Suns (47-33), Booker will most notably have a chance to land on an All-NBA team. There are three All-NBA teams each consisting of five players.
Booker, who was named to his fourth All-Star Game this season, has only made an All-NBA team one time in his career. He was named First Team All-NBA in the 2021-22 season.
On NBA.com’s latest MVP ladder released last Friday, April 5, Booker sat in seventh place, meaning he is very likely on his way to make his second-career All-NBA team.
He was also named the Western Conference Player of the Month for January and has won Western Conference Player of the Week two times this season.
Booker is averaging 27.2 points (t-fifth in the NBA) and 7.0 assists (t-10th in the NBA). The Suns are already pushing for Booker to make one of these teams, as they posted that only he, Luka Doncic and Nikola Jokic rank in the top 10 of both of these categories.
The Playmaker. pic.twitter.com/usSMpzZDXq
— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) April 11, 2024
Kevin Durant
Suns’ superstar Kevin Durant, having played 73 games, is also eligible for postseason awards and likely on the way to making his 11th All-NBA team (6x First Team, 4x Second Team).
There has also been some talk of the 35-year-old Durant, who is averaging 27.2 points on 52/41/85 splits, 6.7 rebounds, 5.1 assists, 1.2 blocks and 0.9 steals, making his first-ever NBA All-Defensive Team this season.
“Look at the numbers,” coach Frank Vogel said before the Suns’ game Tuesday against the Clippers. “I think (Durant) should absolutely get First or Second All-Defensive Team. That’s my opinion. I mean, we’ve played small lineups where he’s guarding the biggest 3 (or) 4 each night. He’s guarded the best in the league, not (just) crunch time, (but) for 48 minutes, and has done a great job night in and night out. (He’s) made some great low man plays throughout the course of the season. He switches on to smaller guards. He’s played small-ball center and defended centers in a natural matchup. He’s really done it all for us. And I’ll be really disappointed if he doesn’t get that.”
Booker and Durant likely have extra incentives in their contracts for making these teams.
With the Suns currently sitting in seventh place in the Western Conference, could they have two of 15 All-NBA players this season?
Stay tuned for when the postseason awards are announced in the few weeks after the regular season ends.
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Brendan Mau is a senior writer covering the Phoenix Suns and more for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on X via @Brendan_Mau.
