Phoenix Suns Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Chris Paul Returns From Thumb Injury

March 24th, 2022 at 6:40pm CST by Rory Maher

6:40pm: Paul is playing on Thursday, Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic tweets.

2:09pm: Suns point guard Chris Paul is listed as probable to return for Thursday’s game at Denver, per Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Paul has missed the past 15 games with a fractured right thumb; the team went 11-4 in his absence. At 59-14, the Suns hold the best record in the NBA.

They lead the No. 2 seed Grizzlies by nine games with only nine games to play, so one more victory by Phoenix will clinch the No. 1 seed and home court advantage throughout the playoffs.

Paul, 36, was named an All-Star for the 12th time this season. Through 58 games (33 MPG), he’s averaging 14.9 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 10.7 APG, and 1.9 SPG on .487/.330/.843 shooting. His 10.7 assists per game leads the league, and if it holds up it will be his fifth assists title.

It was reported on Monday that Paul was nearing a return to action. He was given a six-to-eight week recovery timetable when he initially suffered the fracture on February 20, but it seems he will return in less than five weeks, which is pretty remarkable given his advanced age (by sports standards).

Cameron Payne has been starting in Paul’s stead and is likely to head back to the bench. He’s played well of late since returning from a right wrist injury, averaging 14.1 PPG, 4.0 RPG, and 9.5 APG on .421/.339/.783 shooting in March (11 games, 30.5 MPG).

Chris Paul Out Wednesday But Getting Close

March 23rd, 2022 at 8:55am CST by Luke Adams

Suns point guard Chris Paul has been ruled out for Wednesday’s game, but is doing “more and more” in recent days and is getting closer to returning from his thumb injury, says Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic.

Pacific Notes: Bridges, Curry, Payton, Lakers

March 22nd, 2022 at 11:36am CST by Luke Adams

Centers have dominated the NBA’s list of Defensive Player of the Year winners over the years, but Suns head coach Monty Williams and star guard Devin Booker believe forward Mikal Bridges has been the best defensive player in the league this season, as Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports relays (Twitter links).

“He should be the Defensive Player of the Year, number one,” Williams said, noting that Bridges has taken on the toughest defensive assignments for the Suns while playing heavy minutes (35.3 MPG without missing a game).

Rudy Gobert is a perennial Defensive Player of the Year candidate, but voter fatigue could work against the Jazz center, who has won the award in three of the last four seasons. Currently, Heat big man Bam Adebayo is considered the betting favorite by BetOnline.ag and Bovada.lv, with Bridges lurking among the top challengers.

Here are a few more notes from around the Pacific:

Reports have indicated that the Warriors are optimistic Stephen Curry will return from his foot injury by the time the playoffs begin next month, and Curry confirmed on Sunday that’s the plan. “Yeah, we’ve got enough time for that … but I’m an optimist,” Curry told reporters, including Joe Stiglich of The Associated Press. Curry added that he didn’t view the Marcus Smart dive that caused his injury as “malicious or dirty.”
Warriors guard Gary Payton II, who initially hoped to return on Sunday from a left knee injury, remained sidelined for that game, but is no longer listed on the injury report and will play on Tuesday in Orlando, tweets Anthony Slater of The Athletic. Payton has missed the team’s last eight games.
Although it has been a disappointing season overall for the Lakers, LeBron James was in good spirits after leading the club to a 131-120 over his old team in Cleveland on Monday night, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPN. “I’m literally having the time of my life right now,” James said after the game. “… Because I couldn’t care less what the narrative about our team is. At my point in my career, I don’t get involved in that stuff. I don’t read about it, I don’t hear it too much. … None of that stuff matters to me, I’m having a blast playing the game of basketball.”
The Lakers, who won in Toronto on Friday and Cleveland on Monday, appear to finally be gaining some confidence, according to Bill Oram of The Athletic, who explores whether fans should have any faith in L.A. to make some noise in the play-in tournament and the playoffs.

Chris Paul Nearing Return For Suns

March 21st, 2022 at 8:13am CST by Luke Adams

When word first broke on February 20 that Suns point guard Chris Paul had fractured his right thumb, the timeline provided for his potential return was six-to-eight weeks. The six-week mark from that date would be April 3, but Paul appears likely to be back even sooner than that, reports Sam Amick of The Athletic.

According to Amick, some sources close to the situation wouldn’t even rule out the possibility that Paul could play as soon as this Wednesday in Minnesota. Amick cautions that the exact timing for Paul’s return will be determined in the coming days.

The Suns guard has recently ramped up his activity and was seen taking part in a “rigorous” workout prior to Sunday’s game vs. Sacramento, according to Amick, who suggests that getting Paul’s conditioning back up to speed and deciding on a reintegration plan appear to be the last steps in his comeback process.

Of course, while a Wednesday return is apparently still in play, the Suns should be in no rush to get the 36-year-old back on the court. The team is 10-4 since Paul went down and holds a nine-game lead on the No. 2 Grizzlies in the Western Conference standings with just 10 games left to play.

In other words, Phoenix won’t need any help from CP3 to officially secure the West’s No. 1 seed. His return will be more about getting him enough regular season reps to ensure he’s ready to roll when the playoffs begin next month.

After visiting the Timberwolves on Wednesday, the Suns will play in Denver on Thursday and will host the Sixers on Sunday before traveling to Golden State to face the Warriors next Wednesday.

Torrey Craig Steps Up In Absences Of Jae Crowder, Cam Johnson

March 20th, 2022 at 9:45pm CST by JD Shaw

Suns wing Torrey Craig stepped up in the absences of Jae Crowder (groin) and Cameron Johnson (quad) against the Bulls on Friday, as relayed by the Arizona Republic. Craig finished with 14 points and nine rebounds as a starter, shooting 5-of-5 from the floor in 31 minutes of action.

Pacific Notes: Suns, Biyombo, Westbrook, Poole

March 20th, 2022 at 6:53pm CST by JD Shaw

The Suns are surging despite missing star point guard Chris Paul (thumb fracture), going 9-4 in the games they’ve played without him, Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic writes. Phoenix owns the league’s best record at 57-14, leading the second-place Grizzlies by 8.5 games.

“We know how talented this team is and we always pride ourselves on that,” Devin Booker said. “I always say nobody can replace what Chris does out there. We know how much we’re going to need him when it comes into this playoff run, but in the meantime, we’re just trying to hold it down.”

Phoenix is coming off its first NBA Finals appearance since 1993. The team lost to Milwaukee in six games, but it kept most of its core for this season. It has the chemistry, motivation and talent to make a title run — though it’ll be important to have a fully healthy team.

Here are some other notes from the Pacific:

Michael Scotto of HoopsHype hosted a Q&A with Suns center Bismack Biyombo, who discussed how and why he’s donating his salary, why he fits in well with the team, and several other topics. Biyombo signed a 10-day hardship deal with Phoenix in January, impressing the club enough to earn a rest-of-season commitment. The 11-year veteran has averaged 6.1 points and 4.7 rebounds in 14.1 minutes per game.
The Lakers embraced Russell Westbrook‘s feel-good moment in Toronto, rallying behind him after he helped the team earn an overtime win on Friday with a game-tying three-pointer at the end of regulation, Kyle Goon of the Orange County Register writes. “One of the highlights of our season – and it’s been a tough season for us, and specifically for him,” head coach Frank Vogel said. Contrary to public perception, Westbrook’s shooting percentages have only dipped slightly from last season, but his 15.7 shot attempts per game represent his lowest mark since 2009/10.
Warriors guard Jordan Poole is proving he’s ready for the NBA spotlight, Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area writes. Poole is averaging a career-best 17.1 points on 46% shooting this season, establishing himself as a valuable scoring threat in his third season.

Social Justice Group Calling For Sarver's Ouster

March 18th, 2022 at 8:08am CST by Luke Adams

A coalition of social justice activists is calling on the NBA to remove Robert Sarver as the owner of the Suns, writes Howard Beck of SI.com. The American Sports Accountability Project published a letter on its new website stating that the group is “profoundly disturbed by the reports of racism, misogyny and abusive behavior allegedly committed” by Sarver. An independent investigation into the allegations against Sarver is ongoing.

Anthony Davis Talks Injury Recovery, Lakers’ Window, 2021 Playoffs

March 14th, 2022 at 8:58am CST by Luke Adams

Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Lakers head coach Frank Vogel confirmed that Anthony Davis is taking another step forward in his rehab process this week and will begin spot shooting in Los Angeles on Monday, writes ESPN’s Dave McMenamin.

Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN had reported on Saturday that this step was anticipated, indicating that the Lakers were encouraged by Davis’ recovery from a right foot strain that he suffered nearly a month ago.

Davis, who hadn’t spoken to the media since he went down with his foot injury, made himself available to reporters on Sunday and expressed hope that he’ll be back in the Lakers’ lineup before the regular season ends on April 10.

“I’m very optimistic about it,” Davis said, per McMenamin. “I’m trying to get back on the court as soon as possible. As far as a number or something, I would love to say 100 but with only a certain amount of games yet, not 100 percent sure.”

Davis also made a few more noteworthy comments during his media session, which took place before the Suns blew out the Lakers by 29 points at Phoenix’s Footprint Center. Here are some of the highlights from Davis, via McMenamin:

On his first thoughts when he injured his foot on February 16:

“The first thing I thought was, ‘Not again.’ I just got off of [being sidelined] four-to-six [weeks]. Now I got another four-to-six. So that’s where the anger came from. … It was a little bit of relief that it wasn’t as bad as it could have been, but more so anger of, ‘Here we go again.'”

On wanting to make the most of LeBron James continuing to play at a high level at age 37:

“We don’t know how long he has left in this league. Phenomenal player, future Hall-of-Famer, and to be able to play alongside him, you want to take advantage of it. We did the first year. Last year we both were banged up, and then this year, it’s [injuries] again but moreso me. So every day [the window is] closing. That’s another frustrating part. A lot of guys don’t get to play with talent like that. I have the opportunity to do so. … I want to take advantage of that time.

“He has another year left with the Lakers … and then who knows? I don’t know what he’s going to do. So we got this year and next year to try to take advantage of that and get another ring out of it.”

On his belief that the Lakers would’ve beaten the Suns in the first round of the 2021 playoffs if he hadn’t gotten injured in Game 4:

“I think we know that, I think they know that. I just feel like they just got away with one.”

Suns Sign Gabriel Lundberg To Two-Way Contract

March 12th, 2022 at 2:43pm CST by Dana Gauruder

2:43pm: Phoenix has officially signed Lundberg, the club announced in a press release.

7:44am: European star Gabriel Lundberg is signing a contract with the Suns, Johnny Askounis of EuroHoops.net relays. The news was first reported on Danish TV 2.

It’s a two-way deal, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).

Lundberg, 27, left CSKA Moscow recently amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. He’s considered the best international free agent available in the market, Wojnarowski adds. Phoenix had a two-way spot available and won’t have to make a corresponding move.

In 24 Euroleague games, Lundberg averaged 9.1 PPG and 2.0 APG in 21.1 MPG. He also averaged 12.6 PPG and 3.2 APG in VTB United League games.

Lundberg averaged 11.3 PPG and 2.2 APG in 15 Euroleague contests last season. He’s shot 33.6% on 3-point attempts in his international career.

Lundberg finalized his separation from CSKA Moscow by paying the contract buyout himself, according to Eurohoops’ sources. Lundberg will likely see little playing time for the leaders of the Western Conference but they’ll get an up close look at the 6’4” guard. They can then decide if they want to retain him beyond this season.

Suns Notes: Ayton, CP3, Johnson

March 11th, 2022 at 9:43pm CST by Rory Maher

Deandre Ayton is having another strong season for the Suns, and Evan Sidery of BasketballNews.com wonders if the center will finally get his bag from Phoenix.

Ayton will be a restricted free agent this summer in a weak class, and Sidery thinks it’s inevitable that one of the rebuilding teams with cap space will offer Ayton a four-year, maximum-salary contract. Sidery points to the Thunder, Spurs and Pistons as possibilities.

The question is, will the Suns match that offer? They can offer Ayton more years (five) and more money than other teams, but were reluctant to give him the max prior to the season.

Through 45 games (29.6 minutes) this season, Ayton is averaging 16.8 points, 10 rebounds and 1.4 assists on .642/.385/.718 shooting. The 38.5% from deep is deceptive, as he’s only attempted 13 threes all season, but he’s still a highly efficient scorer with great footwork.

Ayton has also continued his impressive defense from last season’s run to the Finals, Sidery writes. Ayton, Rudy Gobert, Anthony Davis, Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley are the only centers in the league allowing less than 45% of the shots they defend to end in points (min. 15 shots per game).

Here are a few more notes from Phoenix:

Chris Paul won a team shooting contest Friday morning for the Suns, according to Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic. “He kicked our ass. He beat us today. It was cool to see him out there. I was actually surprised. I didn’t think he was going to be out here shooting, but that’s a good sign,” Cameron Payne said. Paul is currently sidelined with a fractured thumb that he suffered last month and is scheduled to be reevaluated in early-to-mid April.
Suns coach Monty Williams tempered expectations of a potential early return for Paul, per Rankin. “It’s awesome, but I wouldn’t get too excited about it,” Williams said before Friday’s game. “It’s just part of a normal progression for that type of injury. We’re happy about it, but we have to temper it until he’s able to get to 1-on-1, 3-on-3, 5-on-5.”
Forward Cameron Johnson scored a career-high 38 points last Friday against the Knicks, including a three at the buzzer to win the game, but he’s missed four straight games since then. As Rankin writes in a separate article for the Arizona Republic, Johnson suffered a right quad contusion in the game after getting kneed by Mitchell Robinson as the Knicks center was contesting a shot. Williams said Johnson likely won’t practice Saturday, so his status for Sunday’s game against the Lakers sounds doubtful. Johnson is averaging career-highs of 12.8 points, 4.1 rebounds and 26.3 minutes this season. He sports a stellar shooting line of .475/.448/.873. As a third-year former first-round pick, Johnson is eligible for a rookie scale extension this summer.