- Suns star Devin Booker returned to Phoenix after Sunday’s Christmas game for further evaluation after reaggravating a groin injury during the first quarter of Phoenix’s loss at Denver, Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic reports. Phoenix is currently on a six-game road trip. Booker had missed three games before his early departure against the Nuggets.
- Suns guard Devin Booker was forced to make an early exit from Sunday’s game after reaggravating a groin injury, according to Zach Harper of The Athletic. Booker was returning after missing the team’s previous three games, but he was only able to play four minutes before being ruled out.
Suns guard Devin Booker is expected to be available on Sunday following a three-game absence due to a groin injury, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter).
Phoenix will be visiting the West-leading Nuggets in the fifth and final game of the NBA’s Christmas Day slate. Booker is officially listed as questionable for the contest, but Wojnarowski’s report suggests the Suns’ top scorer won’t miss the opportunity to play on a national stage in a marquee Western Conference showdown.
Booker, a three-time All-Star, is averaging a career-high 28.0 points per game in his first 28 contests (35.6 MPG) this season for the Suns. He has also contributed 5.8 APG and 4.8 RPG with a shooting line of .477/.370/.850.
Assuming Booker is able to play on Sunday, he’ll presumably replace Landry Shamet in the starting lineup. Shamet started in Booker’s place on Friday after Damion Lee occupied that spot for the previous two games.
The Suns fell to 1-4 on the season without Devin Booker after a lopsided loss to the Grizzlies Friday night, writes Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. After scoring a season-high 58 points last Saturday, Booker has sat out three straight games with groin soreness.
“I am not going to downplay the fact that we miss Book,” Landry Shamet said. “Of course we do. He is an All-NBA guy. He should be in the MVP conversation. We miss him, but none of the basketball X’s and O’s stuff matters if we don’t pick up on that mentality, physicality. Hit first.”
Coach Monty Williams updated reporters on Booker’s condition before the game, saying he has started shooting again but still isn’t able to move around very much. He refused to speculate on whether Booker might be available for the Christmas Day game at Denver.
“He’s chomping at the bit as you can imagine,” Williams said. “Book’s frustrated when he’s not on the floor. Hoping he can get out there soon.”
There’s more from Phoenix:
- Injured forward Cameron Johnson will accompany the team on its upcoming six-game road trip, Rankin notes in the same story. Johnson isn’t expected to play during the trip, which runs through January 4, but it’s still a positive sign as he works toward returning from November 8 meniscus surgery. Johnson was projected to miss one to two months, and he’s nearing the end of that timeline.
- The Suns’ poor showing lately has included a couple of losses to teams that were able to push them around, Rankin adds. The latest occurred Friday as Memphis came into Phoenix and built a double-digit lead in less than four minutes on its way to winning the first quarter by 19 points. “Our edge in these games, whether it’s Boston, Memphis, these teams who are big and physical and want to put their hands on us, we don’t have the pre-game edge that we’ve had around here,” Williams said. “We’ve got to get back to chasing something and right now. I feel like the prey, and I don’t like that feeling. I just told our guys the same thing. We got to get our edge back.”
- Mikal Bridges has apologized to Deandre Ayton for his role in Tuesday’s argument that was perceived as a dispute between Ayton and Williams, Rankin states in a separate story. Bridges and Ayton clashed on the court shortly before Ayton and his coach were seen yelling during the time out. “It’s something we do. I feel like it was longer than usual,” Bridges explained. “Me and (Ayton) usually get into it and then five seconds later, we’re like best friends because we can do that to each other.”
There wasn’t a ton of trade chatter at the G League Winter Showcase in Las Vegas this past week, but the news of the Suns‘ sale to Mat Ishbia generated plenty of discussion, according to John Hollinger of The Athletic. Specifically, the franchise’s $4 billion valuation raised eyebrows, given how far above recent projections it was.
As Hollinger explains, that eye-popping sale price led to speculation on two fronts. For one, there were conversations about whether other franchises could find their way onto the market — for instance, Paul Allen‘s estate appears content to exercise patience before eventually opening the bidding on the Trail Blazers, but it’s possible the Suns’ valuation could help expedite that process. Hollinger adds that there have also been whispers over the years about whether Michael Jordan will sell the Hornets.
Perhaps more importantly, the Suns’ high sale price could be good news for the prospect of NBA expansion. As Hollinger observes, the existing 30 team owners are more likely to agree to bring in two new partners if their cut of the expansion fee high enough to offset their losses from splitting the NBA’s TV deal and other sources of revenue 32 ways instead of 30 ways. The Suns selling for $4 billion increases the odds of expansion fees for teams in cities like Seattle and Las Vegas reaching the neighborhood of $4-5 billion, says Hollinger.
Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- Former NBA lottery pick Ekpe Udoh is resuming his playing career in Japan, according to Alessandro Maggi of Sportando, who relays that the big man has signed with the Shimane Susanoo Magic. The No. 6 overall pick in the 2010 draft, Udoh appeared in 384 total NBA games, but hasn’t played in the league since the 2018/19 season.
- Scoot Henderson wasn’t available for the G League Ignite during the league’s Winter Showcase event in Las Vegas this past week, but Jeremy Woo of SI.com got a chance to scout several other Ignite players, including London Johnson, Leonard Miller, Sidy Cissoko, and Mojave King. Woo shares several of his key takeaways on the Ignite’s non-Henderson prospects, identifying Miller and Cissoko as players who have a chance to be selected in the first round of the 2023 NBA draft (Johnson will be draft-eligible in 2024).
- Veteran NBA executive Mark Warkentien, who won an Executive of the Year award in 2009 as the Nuggets‘ head of basketball operations, has passed away at age 69 (Twitter link via the Nuggets). Warkentien most recently worked in the league as a special assignment evaluator for the Thunder. We at Hoops Rumors send our condolences to his family and friends.
- Suns star Devin Booker has been dealing with groin soreness since Saturday’s victory over New Orleans, with Friday marking his third straight missed game. Head coach Monty Williams isn’t sure when the shooting guard will be back in action, according to Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports (Twitter link). “He’s been shooting the last couple of days. Not moving as much, but is progressing a bit…he’s chomping at the bit. As you can imagine, Book’s frustrated when he can’t play,” Williams said, adding that he wouldn’t speculate about whether Booker would play on Sunday.
A rival general manager who spoke to Steve Bulpett of Heavy.com doesn’t think that Suns forward Jae Crowder has helped himself by sitting out the season as he waits to be traded.
“He just didn’t show up,” the GM said. “He said he’s not playing unless he gets a contract extension that he wants. I think a lot of teams are turned off by that in and of itself. Like, ‘What? You don’t want to play for one of the best teams in the NBA and prove that you’re worth it so you can get a contract next year? Like, you’re not that good, bro. What are you doing?’ It’s a weird dynamic. It’s one thing if Kevin Durant‘s holding out because he’s not getting paid enough, but Jae Crowder? Seriously?
“I just don’t understand this, and I’m not alone. … He just had to play the year and show that he’s a great leader and has a great attitude.”
Crowder has been on the trade block for at least the last three months and the Suns have yet to find a deal they like. That doesn’t surprise Bulpett’s source — the GM suggested that the trade market for the 32-year-old forward hasn’t been particularly hot.
“Phoenix is leaking all sorts of things out there periodically, but I think it’s mostly just to try to stir up some interest,” he said.
Here’s more on the Suns:
- The Grizzlies may be getting some reinforcements when they visit Phoenix on Friday night, but the Suns will once again be without their leading scorer. Devin Booker has been ruled out for a third consecutive game due to groin soreness, writes Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic.
- Cameron Payne (right foot strain) will also be unavailable on Friday, but one or both of Jock Landale (concussion protocol) and Josh Okogie (right hip soreness) could return. They’re both listed as questionable. Okogie told reporters today that he feels good, but will wait until closer to tip-off to make a final decision (Twitter link via Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports).
- Jeremy Cluff of The Arizona Republic takes a look at what fans should know about Mat Ishbia, who is poised to assume control of the Suns and become the NBA’s youngest team owner at age 42. Meanwhile, Kent Somers of The Arizona Republic observes that simply not being Robert Sarver will work in Ishbia’s favor as he makes a first impression on Suns fans. Even before the investigation into his workplace misconduct and his subsequent suspension, Sarver wasn’t especially popular among fans in Phoenix due in part to his reputation for thriftiness.
The Bucks, Heat and Hawks have been linked to Jae Crowder multiple times and are “widely regarded” as his top suitors, but the Wizards recently made an offer for the veteran forward, Marc Stein reports in his latest Substack article (subscription required).
Wizards forward Rui Hachimura, a restricted free agent in the summer who is set to return tonight from an ankle injury, was believed to be part of the trade package, but the Suns declined and are said to be looking for a “certifiable starter” in exchange for Crowder, according to Stein.
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst previously identified the Wizards as a potential Crowder suitor and noted that Hachimura could be a trade candidate.
Here are a couple more trade rumors and one note from around the NBA:
- The Hawks have “widened the scope” of their trade talks involving John Collins, sources tell Stein. While that seems to indicate that Atlanta will eventually find a suitable deal for Collins, the size and length of his contract ($102MM over four years), plus his limited role and declining production this season, have made it difficult thus far to find a trade partner for the veteran power forward, says Stein.
- Some people in the Lakers‘ organization are “very intrigued” by Knicks wing Cam Reddish, according to Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times. They view him as a youthful reclamation project, which the team has had some success with in the past couple seasons (Malik Monk and Lonnie Walker). Sources tell Woike that the Knicks are looking for a protected first-rounder for the 23-year-old, but that asking price is expected to dip as Reddish is no longer in New York’s rotation. Reddish will be a restricted free agent in the summer if he’s extended a qualifying offer.
- Count Zach Kram of The Ringer among the writers who believe that the Raptors should make moves to reset the roster ahead of the trade deadline. Kram notes that Toronto’s half-court offense has been very poor and the defense has been much worse than expected compared to last season. The Raptors have some very valuable players so they don’t need to do a full tear-down, but it’s evident that things aren’t working with the current group, Kram writes.
Tempers ran high for the Suns in Tuesday’s loss to the Wizards and there was a heated exchange between Deandre Ayton and head coach Monty Williams, writes Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. They were seen yelling at each other during a time out with 43.4 seconds left to play (video link), but Williams said the incident wasn’t just between him and Ayton.
“It was the whole team in those moments,” Williams explained. “It wasn’t just Deandre, it was the whole group out there not executing properly. It was a bit of frustration, but that happens. That was not an isolated one-person or one-player thing.”
The exchange is notable because Williams benched Ayton during Game 7 of last season’s playoff loss to the Mavericks, and Ayton revealed in training camp that he hadn’t talked to his coach since that happened. Ayton, a restricted free agent, signed a four-year, $133MM offer sheet with the Pacers in July, but the Suns quickly matched it, with general manager James Jones saying Ayton is “vital” to the team’s future.
Ayton also downplayed Tuesday’s incident, saying he and Williams were “intensified in the moment.”
“We weren’t really exchanging words,” Ayton said. “We’re a family. He knows how to talk to his boys and his boys know how to just communicate. Obviously, the whole world see it, but it’s really all love and just getting us back to regroup and just take out the confusion.”
There’s more from the Pacific Division:
- Williams believes having a buyer in place will give the Suns more stability, especially heading into the trade deadline, Rankin adds in a separate story. Phoenix has been trying to move Jae Crowder since before the start of training camp.
- The Warriors have struggled on their road trip with a depleted roster, but veterans and coaches are trying to make sure the team’s younger players aren’t blamed, per Anthony Slater of The Athletic. “It’s kind of tough to put them out there in the fourth quarter and expect them to play great when we haven’t, even the starters, we didn’t play great,” Kevon Looney said after Tuesday’s loss. “… They could play better. I feel like they’re making steps in the right direction. They’ve been playing good down there in Santa Cruz. Maybe some game experience is good for them. It’s tough to get thrown in the fire like this at the end of a trip.”
- Five days after Anthony Davis hurt his right foot, the Lakers still haven’t provided an official statement on the injury, notes Kyle Goon of The Orange County Register. Coach Darvin Ham explained the delay tonight, telling reporters, “He’s still going through the evaluation process. We’re still trying to see which course of action we should take, and you’ll know more in the coming days about that situation.”
The foot injury that Anthony Davis suffered last week has decreased the chances that the Lakers will gamble on a major trade, multiple sources tell Jovan Buha of The Athletic. He adds that the only exception would be if the team can acquire a young star that it believes can succeed alongside Davis over the next few years.
Even before the Davis injury, the Lakers’ front office wasn’t confident that there was a trade available that would turn the team into contenders, Buha states. He suggests the most likely current scenario is a deal that would include some combination of Patrick Beverley, Kendrick Nunn and a protected first-rounder in either 2027 or 2029 in exchange for a 3-and-D wing or a combo forward.
Along with the players who have already been linked to the Lakers in trade talks, Buha’s sources point to the Suns‘ Jae Crowder, the Rockets‘ Eric Gordon, the Pistons‘ Alec Burks, the Hornets‘ Terry Rozier, P.J. Washington and Kelly Oubre Jr. and the Spurs‘ Josh Richardson and Jakob Poeltl as players to watch.
There’s more on the Lakers, all from Buha:
- LeBron James has posted four straight 30-point games, but his playing time is starting to become a concern. He’s averaged 39.2 minutes over the past five games, and the Lakers need to be careful that they don’t rely too heavily on him. Buha notes that James, who will turn 38 next week, ranks sixth in minutes per game among players with at least 50 total games over the past two seasons.
- The loss of Davis has been eased somewhat by the emergence of Thomas Bryant. Buha states that Bryant was considered “almost unplayable” before Davis got hurt, but he’s averaging 17.7 points and 7.0 rebounds in the last three games while shooting 61.1% from the field and 55.6% from three-point range. The 25-year-old center joined the Lakers during the offseason on a veteran’s minimum contract and will be a free agent again next summer.
- Rookie shooting guard Max Christie recently moved into the rotation and may be playing well enough to stay there. The second-round pick provides a much-needed 3-and-D option for coach Darvin Ham, and he’s one of the best rebounders among the team’s guards.
- The starting backcourt of Beverley and Dennis Schroder hasn’t performed well, and Buha wonders why Ham keeps playing them together. The Lakers are minus-50 in 161 minutes when they’re on the court at the same time, and their skills seem to be redundant.