The Phoenix Suns just wrapped up the most disappointing season in franchise history with a first-round playoff sweep, and already, the vultures are circling Devin Booker.

Whenever a star-caliber player is eliminated from the playoffs, appears disgruntled, or simply plays for a team that disappoints, the unstoppable NBA trade rumor mill starts churning out ideas on where they should go next. Basketball fans might love the drama of player movement more than the actual sport itself, considering how much time national talking heads spend on speculation and how much traction it receives.

Booker is no stranger to this phenomenon.

After spending the first four and a half years of his career on losing Suns teams, Book was quickly tabbed as the next young talent who should force his way to a new team. Even after the Suns ripped off their 8-0 run in the NBA Bubble, Draymond Green went on Inside The NBA and told a national audience that Booker needed to get out of Phoenix:

Over the years, there have been several loose connections between Devin Booker and the New York Knicks. He’s publicly voiced his respect for Madison Square Garden, saying it was probably his favorite place to play. When Phoenix renovated its arena with theater lighting, former owner Robert Sarver revealed it was due in part to Booker’s appreciation for the lighting at MSG.

A hoop head like Booker undoubtedly appreciates the basketball mecca, the tradition and history of the Knicks, and the city itself.

So on Monday morning, just hours after the Suns’ abrupt elimination from the first round of NBA playoffs, it was hardly surprising to hear Stephen A. Smith go up on ESPN’s First Take and start up a whole new batch of rumors about Booker’s interest in joining the Knicks:

“From what I’m being told, and probably I don’t know if it’ll ever happen, but Devin Booker wants to be in New York,” Smith said. “That’s what I’m being told. Now, he might deny it, I haven’t spoken to him, but I’m just telling you, the scuttlebutt in the NBA circles is that brother wants to be in New York.”

For starters, following up that kind of claim with “I haven’t spoken with him” is a fantastic sentence, and a clear dividing line between the entertainment being provided here versus actual reporting.

But beyond that, a source with knowledge of the situation told PHNX Sports that these rumors are unequivocally false.

According to that source, the Knicks have been interested in Booker dating back to Leon Rose’s instatement as team president back in 2020. Rose, a former CAA player agent prior to being hired by New York, once served as Booker’s representation, and other Knicks personnel with connections to the 27-year-old Suns star recently put out feelers about his potential interest in coming to New York.

Adding a young superstar with four All-Star selections and one All-NBA selection (and possibly a second to follow soon) like Booker to the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference makes sense from the Knicks’ perspective. He and Jalen Brunson would form an electrifying, high-scoring backcourt for one the NBA’s most pleasant surprises, and according to a source, New York would be willing to offer almost anything to make that pairing happen.

However, the Knicks’ interest in Devin Booker is one-sided, and the source was adamant about squashing this latest, unfounded rumor. Booker has remained loyal to the Suns franchise through some of its darkest days and has talked about bringing the super-team to him in Phoenix. Year 1 of his first super-team didn’t go according to plan, but Booker has succeeded in attracting established superstars like Chris Paul, Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal to join him on the Suns.

He’s immensely proud of what he and the franchise have been able to build together, reaching the 2021 NBA Finals and winning a franchise-record 64 games the following season. Booker has also publicly voiced his commitment to winning in Phoenix numerous times.

Granted, we’ve seen many a superstar eventually change their mind about remaining with the same franchise for their career, with Damian Lillard serving as the latest example of remaining loyal to the franchise that drafted him — almost to a fault — before ultimately forcing his way out. There may come a day where Booker is convinced he can no longer win with the Suns and decides to pursue titles elsewhere.

But that day isn’t here yet, according to the source with knowledge. As a student of the game and its history, Booker understands the value of sticking with one franchise for his entire career, following in the footsteps of guys like his idol Kobe Bryant.

So even after a disappointing first-round sweep, the source says Booker is steadfast in his desire to get over the hump in Phoenix, stating bluntly: “This is his city.”