Phoenix Suns Rumors | Hoops Rumors

And-Ones: Paul, Anthony, Title Contenders, Bold Predictions, WNBA

January 2nd, 2023 at 10:46pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Suns guard Chris Paul is disappointed that longtime All-Star Carmelo Anthony remains unsigned, Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News tweets.

“Somebody of that caliber, with that ability, with the heart that he has, and the stuff he’s done for the game – he should be able to walk off the court when he’s ready,” Paul said.

Anthony averaged 13.3 points and 4.2 rebounds in 69 games with the Lakers last season.

We have more from the basketball world:

How could the Celtics, Bucks, Heat, Nuggets, Clippers and Grizzlies enhance their chances of winning the title? Cole Huff of The Athletic explores that topic, including a recommendation that Memphis should add another perimeter shooter.
The Nets will re-sign Kyrie Irving to a two-year contract and Sixers superstar Joel Embiid will demand a trade this summer. Those are some of the bold predictions made by The Ringer’s Michael Pina for 2023.
Rhonda Smith-Banchero – mother of top pick and Magic forward Paolo Banchero – played one season for the WNBA’s Sacramento Monarchs in 2000. Niele Ivey, mother of Pistons lottery pick Jaden Ivey, played four seasons in the WNBA. ESPN’s Jamal Collier takes a closer look at the increasing group of NBA players whose mothers also played ball professionally.

Williams: We Didn't Learn Last Year

January 2nd, 2023 at 5:25pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Suns coach Monty Williams believes the adversity the team is going through could be beneficial in the long run, according to Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic (Twitter link). Williams suggested that when Phoenix cruised to the league’s best record last season, things may have come too easy. “Last year, I felt like we won, but we didn’t learn. I love winning, but I think it’s a benefit to your program to continue to learn, and win. … I think all of this is going to pay dividends for us going forward, if we learn,” Williams said.

Pacific Notes: Shamet, Payne, Warriors, Batum, Toscano-Anderson

January 2nd, 2023 at 11:00am CST by Arthur Hill

Phoenix has stumbled amid injuries to key players, but two of them are expected to return for Monday’s game in New York, according to Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. Landry Shamet and Cameron Payne are both listed as probable for the afternoon contest as the Suns try to shake a slump that has dropped them to seventh in the West.

“I feel good,” said Shamet, who has sat out the past three games with a sore right Achilles. “Training staff took care of me as they always do. I feel good. Body feels good.”

Payne suffered a strained right foot December 13 and has missed nine games. He was posting career highs with 12.7 points and 5.3 assists per game before the injury, and he enables the Suns to play at a faster tempo when he comes off the bench to replace Chris Paul.

“Pace. Getting into the paint,” Payne said when asked how he can help the team. “Like touching the paint. I feel every time we touch the paint, something good happens and I feel like we got away from that. I feel like getting into the paint and bringing my energy.”

There’s more from the Pacific Division:

The news isn’t as good for the Warriors, who will be without four frontcourt players for Monday’s game against the Hawks, tweets Anthony Slater of The Athletic. Andrew Wiggins remains sidelined with an illness and will miss his 14th straight game since suffering an adductor strain. Also inactive are Jonathan Kuminga (sprained right foot), James Wiseman (sprained left ankle) and JaMychal Green (lower right leg infection).
Nicolas Batum‘s goal of playing all 82 games this season ended when he sat out Saturday with a sprained ankle, but the Clippers forward is proud of his durability at age 34, writes Janis Carr of The Orange County Register. Batum credits daily weightlifting sessions, workouts and practices with keeping him in top condition. “If I got some injury stuff, I take care of it,” he said. “I don’t want to miss practice. I haven’t missed practice or shootaround yet this year, so I try to be there as much as possible every time. It’s just the routine I have just to take care of my body to be there for my team.”
Lakers players are responding to the challenge LeBron James delivered last week when he said he doesn’t want to “finish my career playing at this level, from a team aspect,” per Kyle Goon of The Orange County Register. “I actually appreciate the pressure, I like the pressure,” Juan Toscano-Anderson said. “I know what championship basketball looks like, I know what high-level basketball looks like. That’s what they expect. … You gotta step up to the plate. It’s a man’s game.”

Paul Frustrated With Officiating

January 1st, 2023 at 9:50pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Suns guard Chris Paul expressed frustration with what he feels is inconsistent officiating around the league, Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic relays. Paul was addressing a delay of game call against him in a loss to Toronto. “It’s tough in this league, especially when you play for so long and you get techs,” Paul said. “So much stuff is trivial and it’s so much control over what you can say, interpret the rules. I watch and play every night and I see guys get things called. I watch too much basketball and guys just drop the ball night after night and I don’t see a delay of game.”

Injury Updates: Payne, Shamet, Jovic, Green, Antetokounmpo, Holiday, Middleton, Hill

January 1st, 2023 at 3:32pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Suns reserve guards Cameron Payne (right foot strain) and Landry Shamet (sore right Achilles) have seen their statuses updated to probable for Monday’s game against the Knicks, Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic reports (Twitter link). Payne has been unavailable since December 13, while Shamet has been sidelined since Christmas Day.

Long-term, Phoenix is still without All-Star shooting guard Devin Booker (groin strain) and power forwards Cameron Johnson (right meniscus surgery) and Jae Crowder. Crowder has been away from the Suns all season while hoping for a trade.

We have more injury-related news:

While getting some run with the Heat‘s G League team, the Sioux Falls Skyforce, rookie Miami power forward Nikola Jovic has been sidelined with back spasms, reports Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel (via Twitter).
Mavericks shooting guard Josh Green (sprained right elbow) remains shelved for a Monday matchup against the Rockets, the team announced (Twitter link). The elbow was reportedly reassessed on Friday. Dallas also confirmed that Dorian Finney-Smith (right adductor strain), expected to miss at least another week, and Maxi Kleber (right hamstring surgery), out indefinitely, remain unavailable.
The Bucks could be missing their three best players on Sunday night as they square off against the Wizards, reports Josh Robbins of The Athletic (via Twitter). Khris Middleton (sore right knee) and Jrue Holiday (non-coronavirus illness) will miss the contest against Washington, while All-NBA forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (sore left knee) and reserve point guard George Hill (non-coronavirus illness) are both questionable to play.

Injury Updates: Leonard, C. Johnson, Garland, Brunson

December 31st, 2022 at 6:20pm CST by Arthur Hill

Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard has been playing under a minutes restriction all season while returning from a partially torn ACL, but that appears to have been lifted, tweets Andrew Greif of The Los Angeles Times. Leonard logged 35 minutes Saturday afternoon at Indiana after playing 37 and 35 in the team’s past two games, meaning he’s basically back on a regular schedule.

“Still moving up the right track, feeling healthy still and that’s what it’s about,” Leonard said after the game. “Just keep getting better.”

Coach Tyronn Lue didn’t confirm that Leonard’s minutes limit is gone, but he said the increased availability is welcome because it allows him to stagger Leonard and Paul George and keep at least one star on the court throughout the game.

There’s more injury news to pass along:

Suns forward Cameron Johnson appears to be getting closer to a return after having meniscus surgery on November 8, tweets Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic, who posted a video of Johnson running before Friday night’s game.
Darius Garland, who suffered a sprained right thumb late in Thursday’s game, will miss the Cavaliers‘ contest on Saturday night in Chicago, according to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. Garland has been receiving treatment for the injury since it happened, Fedor adds. Cleveland will also be without big man Evan Mobley, who is missing his first game of the season because of soreness in his right ankle. Lamar Stevens and Kevin Love will start in their place, giving the Cavs their 17th different starting lineup in 37 games.
Knicks guard Jalen Brunson will miss his third straight game with a hip injury tonight in Houston, tweets Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News. The Rockets will be without starting center Alperen Sengun, who is suffering lower back pain, according to Mark Berman of Fox 26 in Houston (Twitter link).

Injury Notes: Shamet, Caruso, Harris, Nance

December 30th, 2022 at 2:07pm CST by Luke Adams

Landry Shamet (right Achilles soreness) will miss a third consecutive game on Friday when the Suns visit Toronto, but it sounds like he’s closer to returning than some of his injured teammates. Shamet is aiming to make it back before Phoenix’s road trip wraps up on Wednesday, writes Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic.

“Whenever they give me the green light,” Shamet said. “… There’s a reason they get paid to do what they do, the training staff. … I feel good to go right now, but I trust them to let me know when I’m ready to go.”

The Suns are also missing Devin Booker (groin strain), Cameron Johnson (meniscus tear), Cameron Payne (foot strain), and Jae Crowder (not with team), so getting Shamet back would give the rotation a lift.

Here are a few more injury updates from around the NBA:

Bulls guard Alex Caruso will return on Friday vs. Detroit following a three-game absence due to a sprained right shoulder and a stint in the concussion protocol, writes Rob Schaefer of NBC Sports Chicago. The Bulls won two of three games without Caruso available, but will welcome him back with open arms — the club has a plus-3.7 net rating when he’s on the court this season, compared to a minus-5.3 mark when he sits.
Nets sharpshooter Joe Harris, who has missed the last three games due to soreness, is remaining in Brooklyn while the team travels to Charlotte for Saturday’s game, tweets Nick Friedell of ESPN. Harris will be reevaluated in a few days, Friedell adds.
Pelicans forward/center Larry Nance Jr. left Wednesday’s game early due to what the team dubbed a neck contusion/spasm (Twitter link). Nance, already bothered by a shoulder issue, was in “a lot of pain” on the bench, tweets Andrew Lopez of ESPN, and is considered doubtful to play on Friday vs. Philadelphia, per the official injury report.

Williams: "Every Box Was Checked" Before Booker Returned On Christmas

December 29th, 2022 at 10:58am CST by Luke Adams

Asked before Wednesday’s game if Devin Booker‘s return from a groin injury on Christmas Day felt rushed, Suns head coach Monty Williams pushed back against that notion, writes Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. “In this case with Book, every box, to my knowledge, was checked,” Williams said. “Before you put a guy back on the floor, you have to do that.” Booker, who suffered a setback four minutes into his return, is now expected to miss at least four weeks.

Devin Booker Out At Least Four Weeks With Groin Strain

December 28th, 2022 at 1:10pm CST by Luke Adams

After returning to Phoenix to undergo additional evaluation on his injured left leg, Suns guard Devin Booker has been diagnosed with a left groin strain and will be sidelined for the foreseeable future.

According to the team (Twitter link), Booker will be reevaluated in four weeks, meaning he’ll be on the shelf until at least late January.

Booker initially missed a pair of games on December 11 and 13 due to left hamstring tightness. He returned for two games, including a 58-point outburst against New Orleans on Dec. 17, then missed three more due to left groin soreness. He attempted to return on Christmas Day vs. Denver, but only played about four minutes before reaggravating the injury.

Booker’s absence is the latest setback for a Suns team that has had some bad injury luck so far this season. Starting point guard Chris Paul missed 14 games in November and December due to a heel problem, starting forward Cameron Johnson has been out since November 4 while rehabbing a knee injury, and key reserve Cameron Payne has been unavailable for Phoenix’s last seven games due to a foot issue.

Of course, the Suns have been without Jae Crowder all season as the front office looks to trade him. The club also has an open spot on its 15-man roster.

Playing without Booker will be the biggest challenge yet for the Suns, who are 2-4 this season without their leading scorer available (2-5 counting Sunday’s loss to the Nuggets), even after an impressive win over Memphis on Tuesday. Phoenix has a 20-15 overall record this season, but could have a hard time keeping pace in the West with eight of its next 10 games on the road.

In 28 games entering Christmas Day, Booker had averaged 28.0 points, 5.8 assists, and 4.8 rebounds in 35.6 minutes per night, with a shooting line of .477/.370/.850.

Jazz, Hawks, Suns Discussed Possible Three-Team Trade

December 28th, 2022 at 9:30am CST by Luke Adams

The Jazz, Hawks, and Suns discussed a possible three-team trade that would have sent John Collins to Utah and Jae Crowder to Atlanta, Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium reported during an appearance on The Rally (Twitter video link).

As Charania outlines, Phoenix would have acquired swingman Malik Beasley and forward Jarred Vanderbilt from the Jazz in the proposed deal, while Utah would have received Collins and other assets and Atlanta would have gotten Crowder and at least one other player.

Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reports that Suns guard Landry Shamet was also included in those trade talks and would have been sent to the Hawks along with Crowder in at least one proposed framework.

According to Charania, the trade failed to gain serious traction because Utah was seeking multiple first-round picks along with Collins.

That Jazz asking price is both an indication of how they view Collins’ long-term contract (he’s owed $78.5MM for three years after this season) and how they value Beasley and Vanderbilt. Scotto has heard from rival executives that the Jazz consider Vanderbilt to be worth a first-round pick based on his production, age (23), and contract ($4.7MM team option for 2023/24).

While Charania’s report doesn’t make it 100% clear, it sounds as if Utah may have been seeking one first-round pick from Atlanta and one from Phoenix in the proposed swap. However, the Hawks don’t consider Collins a player they want to salary-dump, according to Charania, so they’d probably be reluctant to attach a first-round selection to him for a non-star, especially after having already surrendered multiple future first-rounders for Dejounte Murray over the summer.

Both Collins and Crowder have spent much of the season on the trade block, so we’ll likely hear their names pop up repeatedly leading up to the February 9 deadline. The Jazz are another team expected to be active in trade discussions, though their unexpectedly solid first half has created some uncertainty about whether they’ll be more inclined to buy or sell.