The latest snub shows just how far the Suns’ star has fallen this season

The Phoenix Suns continue to struggle through an up-and-down season, where each demoralizing loss is generally followed by a win that gets the fanbase back on track. That’s how the last week has gone, a hammer blow at the hands of the Cleveland Cavaliers followed by an outright victory over the Brooklyn Nets.

This span saw Kevin Durant named an All-Star starter for the Western Conference in what will be his 15th appearance at the midseason exhibition as he continues to build on his legacy. Whether or not he deserves that recognition is another conversation, but there’s no question that his offensive talent and appeal to fans means he should be in the Bay Area for the game next month.

Devin Booker might not be so lucky, as a sign of how far he’s fallen.

Booker has been an All-Star in four of the last five seasons, largely coinciding with the Suns’ rise from also-rans out West to legitimate contenders as they reached the NBA Finals in 2021. The addition of Durant added just for the exposure of the franchise, and Booker’s elite game has been on display on the biggest stage possible for some time now.

Not only does Booker have the kind of game that deserves All-Star selection, the more casual fans out there tend to gravitate to him as well. You can make the case that he’s more marketable and well-known than NBA champion Jayson Tatum, with his signature shoe also a hot commodity. Yet amazingly, that same fan vote couldn’t get him close to being a starter in the game this season.

Instead, he’ll have to rely on the coach’s to get him there — and if the TNT crew is any indication — that doesn’t bode well for Book. When the starters were announced, the trio of Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith and Shaquille O’Neal were asked to field the reserves — and while they’re hardly the gatekeepers of who gets in or not — it was telling that Booker didn’t make any of the ​their lists.

Booker’s personal stats haven’t dropped all that much from previous seasons, though the 25.7 points he’s averaging game, would be the second-lowest of all his years as he was selected to be an All-Star if he were to repeat this season. The 3-point shooting percentage is also down, but it feels more like a big-picture decision against both Booker and the Suns.

The reality is that they’re looking for a play-in spot at the moment, and Booker hasn’t been anywhere near the dominant force we’ve seen him be in the past. Maybe he can’t shake the persona he had at the Olympics last summer in Paris, because that alpha energy hasn’t been seen much in The Valley so far this season.

This isn’t a matter of playing next to Durant — and indeed Bradley Beal — either, as the fit arguably looks as good as it ever has. Looking at the above lists of all three, it’s hard to argue that Booker comes in above any of these players. The Golden State Warriors have also struggled this season, but Stephen Curry continues to do a lot with not a ton of help. That does not apply to Booker, who has Durant.

Similarly, Kyrie Irving has led the way while Luka Doncic has been missing for the Dallas Mavericks, while Alperin Sengun might be the most underrated player in a second-seeded Houston Rockets group. Barkley might be going too far to suggest Norman Powell should get a spot, but he’s also had a great season for the LA Clippers so far.

Not only has he stepped into the void left by Paul George following his departure to the Philadelphia 76ers, he has also outplayed him this season. It will be very difficult to squeeze Booker into this picture, which would be a worrying indication of how he develops as he continues to spend his prime years in Phoenix.