Phoenix Suns Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Devin Booker Could Be Back Monday; T.J. Warren Remains Out

March 24th, 2018 at 7:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

The hip injury that caused Lakers guard Isaiah Thomas to miss nearly the first half of the season appears to be acting up again, tweets Tania Ganguli of The Los Angeles Times. Thomas woke up this morning with stiffness in his right hip and will be held out of the final two games of the team’s road trip.

Thomas first suffered the injury last year in Boston, and the Cavaliers held him out of the first 36 games of this season while he was recovering. The latest flare-up could be a warning sign for any team interested in the 29-year-old guard when he becomes a free agent this summer.

There’s more news on the NBA injury front:

Down to eight players for tonight’s game, the Lakers will get some help tomorrow when two-way player Gary Payton II joins the team after the G League regular season ends. However, fellow two-way contract holder Alex Caruso is sidelined by a concussion, according to Bill Oram of The SoCal News Group (Twitter link).
Rockets guard Chris Paul will be held out of tonight’s game, but could return tomorrow, according to Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle (Twitter link). Coach Mike D’Antoni said Paul is making progress after hurting his hamstring Tuesday night.
Devin Booker will miss his fourth straight game tonight with a sprained right hand, but coach Jay Triano is optimistic that he can play Monday, tweets Scott Bordow of The Arizona Republic (Twitter link). T.J. Warren is missing his third consecutive game with left knee inflammation after a non-contact injury last Saturday (Twitter link).
Magic swingman Jonathon Simmons, who has missed the past two games with a right wrist contusion, will probably be held out another week, relays Josh Robbins of The Orlando Sentinel (Twitter link).
Bulls guard Kris Dunn remains in a walking boot with a toe injury, but was able to exercise today on an elliptical machine, reports K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune (Twitter link). Swelling has gone down and he will join the team on its upcoming road trip, but coach Fred Hoiberg said Dunn will need to be “reconditioned” if the team doesn’t shut him down for the rest of the season.

Suns Getting Head Start On Coaching Search

March 23rd, 2018 at 9:04am CST by Luke Adams

Rather than waiting until the end of the regular season to begin their head coaching search in earnest, the Suns are doing so now, general Ryan McDonough tells ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. As Wojnarowski details, the Suns recognize that there may be several teams looking to hire new coaches this spring, so they want to start exploring their options before the season ends.

“This is going to be a competitive marketplace,” McDonough said. “There are three of us (Phoenix, Milwaukee and Memphis) with interim coaches in place, and we want to be able to hit the ground running. We don’t want to have to wait until the end of the regular season for candidates who aren’t with teams now. At the end of the regular season, we’ll be able to talk with coaches on non-playoff teams and we’ll need to work with playoff teams on what their approach will be on contacting (assistant) coaches still in the postseason.”

Interim head coach Jay Triano will receive consideration for the permanent job, McDonough confirmed. According to Wojnarowski, Triano wants to give his undivided attention to his players down the stretch, but his agent – Warren LeGarie – requested that Triano be able to prepare a “formal presentation” to the team after the season ends.

As for outside candidates, Chris Mannix of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link) hears from prominent coaching agents that the Suns will have to offer “real money” over four or five years in order to attract anyone credible. Mannix suggests (via Twitter) that Phoenix would be wise to pony up that sort of money if necessary, since the club could badly use some coaching stability. Since their last playoff appearance in 2010, the Suns have had four different coaches, and the franchise hasn’t won more than 24 games in a season since the 2014/15 campaign.

Still, as Wojnarowski observes, the Suns appear better positioned heading into the 2018 offseason than they have been for the past few years. With building blocks like Devin Booker, Josh Jackson, and T.J. Warren already in place, Phoenix could have three first-round picks this summer, and will have the cap flexibility to be aggressive in free agency and on the trade market. That flexibility could appeal to potential head coaching candidates.

Alex Len Likely To Leave Suns As Free Agent

March 22nd, 2018 at 3:55pm CST by Luke Adams

A year after re-signing with the Suns as a restricted free agent, Alex Len appears unlikely to do the same as an unrestricted free agent this summer. As Scott Bordow of The Arizona Republic writes, Len admitted this week that he’ll “probably” end up with another team for the 2018/19 season.

“I’m looking forward to this offseason,” Len said. “I think it’s going to be exciting. It’s the first time I’m actually going to have a chance to go where I want to go.”

Len has posted some of the best per-minute numbers of his career in 2017/18, but has averaged just 19.8 minutes per game in 62 contests — that’s his lowest mark since his rookie season. In his part-time role, the fifth-year center has posted 8.0 PPG and 7.5 RPG.

According to Bordow, Len believes he’s capable of playing 30 minutes a night, and would love to sign with a team that gives him a chance to be a starter, though he’s open to being a backup on a contending club. Having played for three different coaches in Phoenix, the 24-year-old would also like a situation that gives him some stability. Plus, he believes he has a few skills he hasn’t had a chance to show off with the Suns.

“I think I can step out and shoot mid-range,” Len said. “This year (interim coach) Jay (Triano) did not want me to shoot at all so I just played my role. Wherever I go I can space out to mid-range and I can knock that shot down.”

The Suns will have Len’s Bird rights in free agency, so even if they don’t plan to re-sign him, they could accommodate a sign-and-trade. The more likely scenario, however, would see Len signing outright with a new club via cap room or an exception.

Elfrid Payton Facing Uncertain Future With Suns

March 21st, 2018 at 8:56am CST by Luke Adams

Having been sent from Orlando to Phoenix at this season’s trade deadline, Elfrid Payton has enjoyed his time with the Suns so far, according to Scott Bordow of The Arizona Republic, who says Payton likes his teammates and the city, and believes the club will be a winner soon.

“I think they have a chance to be really good, especially in the near future,” Payton said. “So I would love to be here.”

However, even though the Suns surrendered a second-round pick for Payton in that deadline deal, there’s no guarantee that the franchise will invest in the point guard beyond this season, says Bordow. The 24-year-old will be eligible for restricted free agency in the offseason, giving Phoenix the opportunity to match any offer he receives, but it’s unclear whether the team will do so, according to Bordow.

Payton got off to a fast start with the Suns, averaging 16.4 PPG, 8.2 APG, and 8.0 RPG with a pair of triple-doubles during his first nine games with the team. However, he has posted just 8.3 PPG, 4.4 APG, and 2.9 RPG with poor shooting numbers in seven games since then.

Additionally, even when Payton was posting those impressive counting stats, the advanced numbers suggested that he was struggling on both ends of the court. In nearly 500 minutes with Payton on the floor so far, the Suns have a -17.8 net rating — they’ve been worse on both offense (97.4 rating) and defense (115.1) when he plays, per NBA.com.

As Bordow notes, the Suns expect veteran point guard Brandon Knight to be healthy and have a role next season. Phoenix will also likely hold multiple first-round picks in this year’s draft, putting the team in a good position to draft a point guard. If the Suns go that route, there may not be a clear-cut role for Payton that would make it worth investing in a new deal for him.

Plenty can change between now and July, so we’ll wait to see how Payton’s free agency plays out, whether that means remaining in Phoenix or joining his third team of 2018. For his part, the former lottery pick is trying to avoid dwelling on his uncertain future.

“It can be a stressful time, but I’m in a good place,” Payton said, per Bordow. “I’m going to work on everything and whatever happens for me, happens for me.”

Alan Williams Assigned For Rehab Stint

March 20th, 2018 at 6:46pm CST by clarkcrum

The Suns have assigned veteran big man Alan Williams to their G League affiliate, the Northern Arizona Suns, as part of his rehab process in returning from a torn right meniscus, per an official press release. In his first rehab assignment last week, Williams scored 20 points and grabbed nine rebounds for Northern Arizona.

Stein On Suns' Head Coaching Search

March 20th, 2018 at 3:56pm CST by Luke Adams

While Jay Triano will receive an interview as part of the Suns‘ head coaching search, Stein is hearing buzz that Triano is more likely to be asked to stay on as an assistant. Phoenix wants to explore the college ranks, and Villanova’s Jay Wright is one name that figures to come up during that search, per Stein.

Chriss, Dudley Fined By League

March 19th, 2018 at 6:31pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Suns forwards Marquese Chriss and Jared Dudley were fined $25K apiece by the league for an dustup against the Jazz last week, Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports tweets.

Suns Plan 'Wide-Ranging' Search For Coach

March 17th, 2018 at 6:13pm CST by Arthur Hill

Suns GM Ryan McDonough says the team will conduct a “wide-ranging” search for its next coach once the season ends, relays Scott Bordow of The Arizona Republic. Interim coach Jay Triano will be included in that process, along with former NBA head coaches, current assistants and maybe some college coaches. McDonough indicated the team plans to talk to several candidates before the list is trimmed to ‘two or three” who will receive second interviews.

Williams Will Play In G League Before Season Debut

March 16th, 2018 at 9:56pm CST by marksuleymanov

Suns big man Alan Williams was assigned to the G League’s Northern Arizona Suns this week. However, he will not play for the NBA team until he gets into a game with the G League affiliate, which is expected on Wednesday, tweets Scott Bordow of Arizona Central Sports.

Suns Recall Alan Williams From G League

March 16th, 2018 at 2:35pm CST by Luke Adams

The Suns have recalled big man Alan Williams from the G League, the team announced today in a press release. Williams practiced with the Northern Arizona Suns on Thursday as part of the rehab process for the knee injury that has sidelined him all season.