It’s already been openly admitted by previous management, but the Phoenix Suns tanked the first three years of Devin Booker’s career. Starting in the 2015-16 season, the goal was pairing LSU phenom Ben Simmons with Booker. Then, it was playmaking savant Lonzo Ball out of UCLA. Finally, the third year of packing in losses paid off, as it led to University of Arizona big man Deandre Ayton, who was a consensus No. 1 pick in the Suns’ front office.
The West Coast’s version of Philadelphia’s infamous process resulted in teammates filing through turnstiles around Booker.