[外絮] 太陽老闆: 我願意跟Booker一起出生入死

來源: Arizona Sports https://arizonasports.com/nba/phoenix-suns/devin-booker-not-traded/3619469/ There’s been plenty of national chatter centered on whether Devin Booker and the Phoenix Suns would benefit from moving on from one another. 最近全美在熱烈討論的一個話題：Devin Booker和鳳凰城太陽隊是不是該分手了？大家 都在猜，如果雙方分道揚鑣，對彼此會不會比較好。 Phoenix owner Mat Ishbia made sure to squash all of it in one fell swoop on Thursday. 太陽隊老闆 Mat Ishbia 在週四果斷出手，一舉平息了所有傳聞 “Devin Booker’s our franchise player. I love Devin Booker. Devin Booker loves being here,” Ishbia told reporters during his end-of-season press conference. “Our coach loves Devin Booker, our GM loves Devin Booker. Devin Booker’s going to be here. Devin Booker’s going to lead us to a championship here in Phoenix. That’s what he’s going to do. We’re going to build the right team around him. He’s going to get better, just like I’m going to get better, just like everyone in our organization. Ishbia 在賽季結束的記者會上告訴媒體：「Devin Booker 是我們的看板球星。我愛他， 而他也非常熱愛待在這裡。我們的教練、總經理也都非常看重他。他哪都不會去，他會留 在這裡帶領鳳凰城拿下總冠軍，這就是他的使命。我們會環繞著他打造合適的團隊。他會 持續進步，就像我跟球團裡的每個人一樣，都會變得更好。」 “I’ll ride into a fire with Devin Booker and I’ll do it proudly. He’s going to have my back. I’m going to have his back. Devin Booker’s our guy. … The national media just says stuff to say stuff sometimes. Sometimes I like to respond, sometimes I don’t. Devin Booker’s not getting traded.” 「我願意跟 Booker 一起出生入死，而且我以此為榮。他會挺我，我也會挺他，他就是我 們的人。全國性媒體有時候只是為了帶風向而亂說，有時候我會想回應，有時候懶得理。 反正 Booker 是絕對不會被交易的。」 Since Phoenix was swept by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round of the NBA playoffs, a place it wasn’t expected to sniff heading into the year, the Booker talk has taken off. 自從太陽隊在季後賽首輪被奧克拉荷馬雷霆隊橫掃後（這結果在開季前根本沒人料到）， 關於 Booker 的交易傳聞就開始滿天飛。 ESPN’s First Take host Stephen A. Smith was among the national pundits throwing out the idea, believing Booker has grown too comfortable in Phoenix and isn’t “starving” to win. ESPN《First Take》的主持人 Stephen A. Smith 也是帶頭起鬨的專家之一，他認為 Booker 在凰城待得太安逸了，已經失去了對勝利的那種「飢渴感」。 Smith and Kendrick Perkins then went a step further, linking Booker to his hometown team, the Detroit Pistons. Smith 和 Kendrick Perkins 甚至更進一步，把 Booker 跟他的家鄉球隊底特律活塞隊聯 想在一起。 “I believe Devin Booker is a certified No. 2. A Robin to a Batman that a guy like Cade Cunningham that you brought up is missing,” Perkins said. “Cade Cunningham, Devin Booker in the backcourt, now you got smoke.” Perkins 表示：「我認為 Booker 就是個標準的二當家。他就是那種像 Cade Cunningham 這類球員身邊最缺的『羅賓』（副手）。想像一下 Cunningham 加上 Booker 的後場組合，那火力和競爭力就真的有戲了。」 Booker, who has four years and a combined $250 million left on his contract, is coming off a season (64 starts) where he averaged 26.1 points on 45.6% shooting and 33% from deep. He added 3.9 rebounds and six assists across 33.5 minutes per game on his way to his fifth All-Star nod. Booker 的合約還剩下四年，總值高達 2.5 億美金。他本季先發出賽 64 場，平均砍下 26.1 分，投籃命中率 45.6%，三分命中率 33%。此外，他平均上場 33.5 分鐘，還能貢 獻 3.9 個籃板和 6 次助攻，並生涯第五次入選明星賽。 His efforts played a part in Phoenix making a surprise run to the playoffs under first-year head coach Jordan Ott. 在他的帶領下，太陽隊在第一年執教的總教練 Jordan Ott 手下，打出了出人意料的表現 並成功殺進季後賽。 The guard’s play took a dip in the postseason, though, with Booker averaging 21.3 points on 46% shooting and 25% from 3-point range. He chipped in 4.3 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game. He posted career playoff lows in points and 3-point percentage. 然而，他在季後賽的表現有所下滑，平均得分降至 21.3 分，三分命中率更是跌到 25%， 場均僅有 4.3 籃板和 4.8 助攻。這兩項數據（得分與三分命中率）都創下了他季後賽生 涯的新低。 Ishbia, however, doesn’t seem concerned. 儘管如此，老闆 Ishbia 看起來一點也不擔心。 心得: 一輩子...