This season, the performance of the Phoenix Suns has been quite surprising. In theory, the combination of stars like Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal should have caused a stir, especially after Durant joined, everyone thought the Suns could at least make it into the top five in the West. But what happened? The Suns are currently not even in the top five in the West, and their playoff qualification is not stable. What's going on? The combination of Durant and Booker seems to have failed to produce the expected chemistry. Everyone knows that Durant is a formidable player, but which path did he take? It seems that after winning the championship with the Warriors, he started to focus on the concept of "brotherhood basketball," paying more attention to relationships with teammates on the court rather than individual performance. There were rumors recently that Durant might consider retiring while playing for the Suns, which was quite surprising. After this news came out, many fans were stunned, thinking it was unlikely. However, Durant does seem a bit lost, as his partnership with Booker has never quite lived up to expectations. The Suns' injury problems are also a headache. Both Durant and Booker have been injured, which has had a significant impact on the team's overall efficiency. Especially Durant, whose injury history is somewhat long, although his form is still good, he is not as impressive as before. Moreover, the Suns' inside-outside cooperation always falls short, making the whole team look scattered, and the coaching staff's management is also being questioned. Honestly, the Suns' management has had real problems in recent years. After manager James Jones sent Chris Paul away, it seemed that no strengthening actions were taken, leading to the team's current state of continued depression. It feels like they've been waiting for a miracle, but the miracle seems slow to come. Some netizens commented on the forum: The problem with the Suns over the years is not the players, but the incompetent management. Jones is just a figurehead; can you give us a reliable plan? This makes sense because the players have tried their best, but if the management's decisions are not good, everything is in vain. Speaking of Booker, as the core player of the Suns, he has recently had some mental breakdowns. It's clear that Booker is actually quite disappointed. Look, he clearly has the ability, but under the combination of Durant and Beal, the team's record has been unsatisfactory. Everyone knows that Booker plays hard, but if his teammates' performances are unstable, even if he plays one against four, he can't expect to lead the team to break through. Booker is not satisfied with the current situation, especially when Durant and Beal fail to provide the expected help, Booker's emotions also begin to decline. Some fans online also started to stand up for Booker: Booker works so hard, but he always ends up playing with these unreliable teammates, which is really not worth it! He should go to a more competitive team and give himself a bigger stage. On the other side, the Houston Rockets are getting restless. The young players of the Rockets are gradually emerging, and they have now reached the top four in the West, who would have thought? This once completely depressed team has such an impressive performance. Especially, the management of the Rockets sees things clearly. They have already clarified their future core goals, and Devin Booker has become their top target. It can be imagined that the Rockets are already planning how to acquire Booker through a trade, and it is even possible to send first-round draft picks plus some young players, such as Jalen Green, to attract the Suns to make a trade. Some netizens analyzed: The Rockets are so young, yet they can perform so well in the top four in the West, which is already quite strong. If they bring Booker in, the future of this team is simply beyond words. Especially Booker's breakthrough and shooting abilities will definitely be fully utilized under Udoka's system. Indeed, Booker's technical characteristics are very suitable for the Rockets' style of play, especially his offensive rhythm and diverse offensive methods, which can bring stronger offensive firepower to the Rockets. Not only that, but Booker's performance at the Paris Olympics also gave the Rockets more confidence. Look, Kerr let Booker play as the starting No. 2 position for the U.S. team, and Booker not only did not disappoint, but performed exceptionally well, earning unanimous praise from everyone. No wonder the Rockets are targeting him; after all, on such a big stage, Booker has proven his strength. If Booker really joins the Rockets, what impact will it have on the Suns? Needless to say, this would be a huge loss for the Suns. Booker is the core of the team, and if he leaves, the Suns' future will find it difficult to make any further breakthroughs. Adding to this is the possibility that Durant may choose to retire at the end of his contract, coupled with the heavy contract of Beal, the Suns' salary space is almost locked, leaving almost no possibility for them to strengthen through recruitment. Whether it's the salary dilemma or the uncertainty of the team's core, the Suns will face severe challenges. Some netizens commented: If Booker leaves, the Suns really have to start considering rebuilding. After all, their core lineup is now unstable, and the management has no solutions; there's no other choice but to rebuild. This view is quite reasonable because if Booker leaves, the Suns may have to rebuild their entire framework. The future of the Suns, whether they can get through this tough period, is indeed a big question mark. Many people are speculating that if Booker chooses to leave, will the Suns completely embark on the path of rebuilding, starting to accumulate draft picks and young players? Who knows, maybe the Suns can still make a comeback at some point and find their second spring. The rise of the Houston Rockets is indeed eye-catching, while the future of the Suns is full of uncertainty. If the Rockets can really introduce Booker through a trade, their competitiveness in the coming years will definitely increase significantly, after all, Booker's performance on both offense and defense is not something ordinary players can achieve. As for the Suns, whether they can seize this opportunity for effective rebuilding remains to be seen.