Every time I watch Jamal Murray, I can't help but think about Devin Booker.
The Nuggets guard has been the breakout star of the NBA Bubble and NBA Playoffs averaging nearly 27 points per game and 7 assists while shooting 47.7% from 3 point land on nearly 8 attempts per game. He has scored 40 points or more twice this postseason and he has scored 50 points or more twice this postseason.
Murray has helped the Nuggets overcome two different 3-1 series deficits and given the Nuggets a real chance in the Lakers series with a spot in the NBA Finals on the line.
So what about Murray, other than sharing a year at Kentucky, makes me think of the Suns star Devin Booker who has been at home since the Suns playoff dreams ended on a Caris LaVert miss?
I can't help but think that everything Jamal Murray is doing, Devin Booker could do too. If these two could somehow switch spots without anyone noticing like the Morris twins, I'm 100% sold that it could be Booker experiencing the ultimate catapult into NBA stardom.
Booker entered the bubble as the far more statistically accomplished of the two with a career average of 22.5 points per game compared to Murray's career average of 15.6 points per game. But now, the idea of saying Booker with zero career playoff appearances on his resume is a better franchise building block than postseason hero Jamal Murray sounds insane.
And it may be but even if Booker isn't the one grabbing all the attention, Murray's ascension should give Suns fans hope.
Look around the NBA. What kind of players have historically dominated the league? What kind of players are currently dominating the league? Lebron. AD. Tatum. Butler. Bam Adebayo. Giannis. Kawhi. All these players are bigger, strong and better defensively than Devin Booker. Unless you want to foolishly follow the complete anomaly that is the Golden State Warriors, there hasn't been much hope to build a team around a smaller player.
Jamal Murray is one of the few sub 6-5 players to anchor his team with real championship aspirations. If Murray is doing it now, why can't Booker in the future?
Maybe that's the wrong question. The better question may be can Deandre Ayton be more like Nikola Jokic? That's a question for a different day and blog post.
For now, enjoy Murray's breakout because it means that Devin Booker might be next. Finally.