Ralph Freso/Associated Press The Phoenix Suns may have hurt their relationship with Devin Booker after waiving Tyler Ulis on Saturday. Per Yahoo Sports' Shams Charania, Booker is "upset" with the Suns for their decision to release his best friend. Booker and Ulis have played together dating back to their freshman year at the University of Kentucky in 2014-15 and first met in eighth grade. In 2016, Booker jokingly told Paul Coro of AZCentral Sports he was Ulis' agent because he called the Suns' decision-makers to convince them they should draft the point guard with their second-round pick at No. 34 overall. "It's been great for me because we're so close," Ulis told Coro. "I came out to Phoenix to visit before his first year so I knew a little bit about the city. Being around him, on the court and off the court, helps me through my first year because I watched him go through it. He talks me through it." Ulis appeared in 71 games for the Suns last season. The 22-year-old struggled with 7.8 points per game and shot 38.8 percent from the field. Booker is eligible for a five-year maximum extension from the Suns this year. He figures to have a lot of leverage in negotiations after setting career highs with 24.9 points, 4.5 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game.<doc-sep>The Telegraph Two of the surprise packages of this clay-court season have been British – initially Dan Evans, who made a deep run in Monte Carlo, and more lately Cameron Norrie, who played his second final in three weeks on Sunday. Unfortunately, Norrie wasn’t able to land a maiden ATP title in Lyon. But then he was up against Stefanos Tsitsipas, who has been the dominant force of 2021 outside the slams, and now stands at No 1 in the table of most rankings points gained since January 1. Nevertheless, it had been a hugely creditable effort for Norrie to go this far, especially when you consider that he took out top seed Dominic Thiem on Thursday, and then trounced big-hitting Russian Karen Khachanov in Saturday’s semi-final, losing only two games in the process. Norrie has come to clay late in his career, but it feels like this is developing into his favourite surface. He has one of the heaviest left-handed forehands in the game, loaded with top-spin, and uses it like a miniature version of Rafael Nadal. The result has been a tally of 14 wins and only four losses since he began his European clay-court swing in Barcelona. So while the French Open, which starts next Sunday, has traditionally been a graveyard of British hopes, there are reasons to hope that this year’s event could deliver some more positive results. Norrie’s previous final in Estoril had been a nervewracking affair which he eventually lost on a deciding-set tie-break to the more experienced Spaniard Albert Ramos-Vinolas. Sunday was more straightforward for Tsitsipas, who needed only 69 minutes to hammer home a 6-3, 6-3 victory. It was Tsitsipas’ second title of the clay-court sequence, after he won Monte Carlo in mid-April, taking out Evans in the semi-final along the way. He has become a serious contender to upset the establishment – specifically Nadal and Novak Djokovic – at Roland Garros over the next few weeks. “I felt in good shape from the beginning of the tournament,” said Tsitsipas afterwards. “I am proud of today’s match, I knew it would be a difficult one against Cameron, who has been showing great tennis this week. He has been winning against good players and showing what the left hand can do on clay. “It was not an easy match today. I had to handle the nerves and I am proud of my performance and the way I stayed focused towards my goal.” On this year’s results, meanwhile, both Evans and Norrie stand among the world’s 20 most successful men. Evans is at No 16 and Norrie No 14. The next challenge for them both is to convert that ATP Tour form into a deep run at a major.<doc-sep>The Phoenix Suns started off free agency in a busy way, announcing they waived point guard Tyler Ulis and signed former Rockets forward Trevor Ariza to a one-year deal. But according to Yahoo Sports’ Shams Charania, waiving Ulis didn’t exactly sit well with his best friend and star of the team, Devin Booker. Booker and Ulis’ friendship dates back to middle school, when the two competed in AAU basketball. Eventually, they both landed at Kentucky, where they played together for one season before Booker was drafted 13th overall by the Suns in the 2015 NBA Draft. Just a year later, Phoenix drafted Ulis 34th overall. Ulis played in 132 games, making 58 starts for Phoenix over the course of his two seasons in the Valley. He averaged 7.6 points, 4.1 assists and 1.7 rebounds during his stint with the team. After a standout end to the season in his rookie year, he had high expectations for his second season and failed to meet them. His shooting percentage dropped from 42.1 percent to 38.8 percent, as he was unable to secure the backup point guard spot heading into this upcoming season. The Suns pushed back the deadline in an attempt to find a trade for the guard, according to 98.7 FM Arizona’s Sports Station’s John Gambadoro, but were unable to. Booker is eligible for a maximum extension, which could be worth upwards of $150 million for five years. Suns general manager Ryan McDonough hinted at Phoenix’s intentions to offer Booker the maximum in February, when he spoke with 98.7 FM Arizona’s Sports Station’s Doug & Wolf. “We’re ready for that next step,” McDonough said. “I think Devin in particular is ready for that next step.” Follow @ZachAlvira<doc-sep>
On Saturday, it was announced that the Phoenix Suns were planning to waive former Kentucky Wildcats favorite Tyler Ulis. There have been differing opinions on whether this was a good more for the Suns or a good move for Ulis. Perhaps the most important opinion is that of the future of Phoenix’s franchise, Devin Booker. According to Shams Charania, Booker is not pleased that he team got rid of his best friend. Sources: As he becomes eligible for five-year maximum rookie extension, Phoenix Suns' Devin Booker is upset with the front office over release of best friend Tyler Ulis, who started 43 games last season. — Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2018 Booker is on the back end of his rookie contract, He will be a restricted free agent this time next year, and you would think that the Suns’ front office would try to keep him happy. Booker averaged 24.9 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per game in just 54 games of work last season. After returning from injury, he was their best player on the court and there has been no question that Suns management wants him to be the cornerstone of their future. After getting a guaranteed contract despite being a second round pick in 2016, Ulis played in 71 games last season, starting 43 of them. He averaged 7.8 points, 4.4 assists, and 1 steal per game over the entire year. However, he brought many of the intangibles to the court that Kentucky fans saw in Lexington during his tenure as a Wildcat. Booker and Ulis have been inseparable since they arrived at Kentucky in 2014, and there is no doubt Booker would be unhappy about his best friend being waived. Whether that will have an impact on his future in Phoenix remains to be seen. There are some out there, however, who think it was a good move for the Suns and will benefit Ulis long-term. Actually I think it’s a great move for Tyler. Devin recognized it as well imo. They’re boys. Tyler has a veteran game. A playoff team will be delighted to have him as a 3rd guard who can command things. He doesn’t need to be that guy on a young team trying to find its way. Imo https://t.co/HxMo84TFMT — Rex Chapman (@rex_rexchapman) July 1, 2018 Rex Chapman certainly knows the NBA better than most of us. Do you think he is onto something here, or are you still salty about the Suns breaking up Devin and Tyler?