Bradley Beal Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Southeast Notes: Carter, Wizards, Ball, Martin

December 23rd, 2023 at 5:14pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Magic welcomed back starting center Wendell Carter Jr. this week after he missed 20 games due to surgery on a fractured bone in his left hand, writes Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel. Carter got an immediate test with games on back-to-back nights against Miami and Milwaukee, and he said he’s still getting used to being on the court again.

“It’s solid,” Carter responded when asked how his hand is feeling. “I go through my stretches where I’m just more timid than anything but constantly being out there, I’ll get over it. … Walking right into a back-to-back after missing 20 games was tough, but that’s really no excuse for anything.”

Carter’s return should solidify the frontcourt for an Orlando team that has dropped four straight games after a strong start. He was greeted with two significant challenges right away, facing Bam Adebayo, who posted 18 points and seven rebounds against the Magic, and Giannis Antetokounmpo, who followed with 37 points and 10 rebounds the next night.

“It just shows that I’ve got to get back to where I was at before I got injured,” Carter said. “A lot of the plays out there, I felt like I was one or two steps slower than I usually am. It just gave me somewhere I can look at in terms of getting back to at some point. I definitely got a lot of respect for the coaches trusting in me [and] putting me out there when I might not be able to play my best game.”

There’s more from the Southeast Division:

Suns guard Bradley Beal doesn’t want to see his former team move forward with relocation plans to northern Virginia. Beal, who spent 11 seasons with the Wizards before being traded this summer, appealed to owner Ted Leonsis to reconsider last week’s announcement (video link). “D.C, there is no moving to Virginia, like what is that?” Beal said. “Ted, we love you to death. We understand what you want to do and trying to do, but you can’t take the team out of D.C.”
It appears unlikely that Hornets guard LaMelo Ball can secure a spot in the All-Star Game even if he returns soon from his right ankle sprain, Roderick Boone of the Charlotte Observer states in a mailbag column. Ball was making a strong All-Star case, averaging 24.7 points, 5.5 rebounds and 8.2 assists before the injury, but he has only played 15 games and his candidacy figures to be affected by Charlotte’s poor record.
Hornets forward Cody Martin has been cleared to make his season debut tonight, Boone tweets. Martin underwent surgery on his left knee last season and hasn’t played since January 14.

Suns Notes: Slump, Beal, Nurkic, Okogie, Trade Ideas

December 22nd, 2023 at 3:58pm CST by Luke Adams

Even without Bradley Beal available, the Suns should be performing better than they have as of late, according to Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports, who identifies myriad problems that were on display in Tuesday’s ugly loss in Portland. The team’s role players haven’t shot three-pointers particularly well, the fourth-quarter offense has relied too much on iso-ball, and the perimeter defense hasn’t been stout enough, Bourguet writes.

Speaking to reporters on Thursday, star guard Devin Booker said his teammates can’t be “scared to hold each other accountable” and that it’s important to “keep learning each other, keep talking,” per Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic.

“We all feel it,” Booker said of the Suns’ recent underwhelming play. “Not just one of us. It’s everybody in here. We all have a job and this is the highest form of basketball in the world. It’s not an easy job and we understand that. We have the talent. We have the basketball minds in here to play better than we were.”

While the Suns are disappointed with their performances in the past few games, there have been “no players-only meetings for us so far,” forward/center Chimezie Metu said with a smile on Friday (Twitter video link via Rankin). “Hopefully we don’t have to get to that point, but we’ll see,” he added.

Here’s more on the Suns:

Phoenix announced on Monday that Beal’s sprained right ankle will be reevaluated in two weeks, but the veteran guard tells Marc J. Spears of Andscape (Twitter link) that he hopes to return “much sooner” than that.
While starting center Jusuf Nurkic won’t be available for Friday’s game in Sacramento for personal reasons, he’s expected to rejoin the club for the Christmas Day game vs. Dallas, tweets Rankin.
Suns wing Josh Okogie, who has missed the past four games due to a hip flexor, said he’ll be a “game-time decision” on Friday (Twitter video link via Rankin). Okogie added that he’s able to run without issue now but needs to make sure he has regained his “explosiveness” before he gets back on the court.
Taking into account the limited collection of movable assets the Suns have at their disposal this season, Bourguet offers up 12 ideas for trades that might be viable and that would potentially upgrade the team’s depth.

Pacific Notes: Vincent, Lakers’ Trip, Maledon, Beal, George

December 19th, 2023 at 10:09pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Lakers are poised to get one of their top guards back in action. Gabe Vincent is listed as probable to play Wednesday against Chicago, Khobi Price of the Orange County Register tweets.

Vincent, who has been sidelined since Oct. 30 due to left knee effusion, appeared in just four games before he was sidelined. He joined the Lakers in free agency on a three-year, $33MM contract after playing a key part in the Heat’s playoff run to the Finals.

We have more from the Pacific Division:

The Lakers are 1-3 since winning the in-season tournament, and playing their next three games in four nights on the road won’t make things any easier, Anthony Davis admits. “It’s tough,” said Davis, as relayed by Price. “For the whole month of December, we’ve really been on the road – and are gonna be on the road for probably the rest of December. But there’s nothing we can really do about it. It’s the schedule. Just gotta take care of our bodies and get some guys back hopefully within the next couple of games. But it’s definitely a mental challenge going on the road as much as we are right now.”
Theo Maledon, who was claimed off waivers from Charlotte by the Suns on Sunday, has been on Phoenix’s radar for a while, Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic reports. Maledon, who is on a two-way deal, worked out for the Suns during the offseason. “I want to say two months before training camp probably,” Maledon said. He’ll give the team another point guard option. “For sure, but I just want to do my role on what coach expects from me or the team expects me to do. Whatever they need, I feel like that’s the biggest priority,” he said.
Suns wing Bradley Beal, who is expected to miss at least the rest of this month with an ankle injury, was a spectator when Phoenix defeated his former team on Sunday. The ex-Wizards star says it’s “surreal” to be on the same team as Devin Booker and Kevin Durant. “It’s definitely surreal at times,” he told Ava Wallace of the Washington Post. “… That’s two guys I competed against for a long time in this league, and now we’re all sharing the opportunity to go compete for a title. It’s surreal in a lot of ways. But it kind of motivates you, too, to just continue to be the best version of yourself you can be.”
Clippers forward Paul George is listed as questionable to play against Dallas on Wednesday due to an illness, ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk tweets.

Bradley Beal To Miss At Least Two Weeks With Sprained Ankle

December 18th, 2023 at 4:26pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Suns shooting guard Bradley Beal just can’t seem to catch a break.

The 6’4″ vet is set to be out at least the next two weeks as he recuperates from a sprained right ankle, Phoenix announced (Twitter link). He will then be reassessed, meaning the soonest he could play would happen once the calendar year flips over to January.

Shams Charania of The Athletic previously reported that Beal would be out for “a few” weeks, while Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic suggested a two-to-three week recovery timeline.

As Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports writes (via Twitter), the 30-year-old’s absence now, at best, will leave just 50 more games for the Suns’ maximum-salaried star triumvirate of Beal, Devin Booker and Kevin Durant to jell ahead of the postseason.

Beal is a three-time All-Star and a 2021 All-NBA Third Teamer, but he’s been plagued by health issues for years at this point. He has appeared in just six contests for the Suns thus far this year, averaging 14.7 points per game on .449/.429/.708 shooting splits, along with 3.3 rebounds and 3.2 assists per night.

The Florida alum hasn’t appeared in more than 60 games in a season since 2018/19.

Phoenix, expected to be a major postseason contender, may have a little trouble even getting there. At 14-12, the Suns are currently the No. 10 seed in a crowded Western Conference, just two wins north of the No. 11-seeded Warriors. Missing Beal could make for some additional tough sledding in the weeks to come.

Pacific Notes: Beal, Toscano-Anderson, Murray, Lakers

December 16th, 2023 at 11:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Suns expect Bradley Beal to be sidelined for two to three weeks with the ankle injury he suffered Friday night, sources tell Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. Friday marked just the second time all season that Beal, Kevin Durant and Devin Booker were able to start a game together, but Phoenix’s “big three” didn’t last long as Beal’s injury occurred in the first quarter.

“Twisted his ankle, but he’s a strong-minded player, person,” Durant said. “Get ready for the rehab and looking forward to having him back. It’s a tough situation, but he can deal with it.”

It was only the sixth game of the season for Beal, who has been dealing with back soreness since training camp. Rankin notes that Beal missed the first seven games of the season, then played in the next three before re-injuring his back in a November 12 contest. The team rested Beal for three weeks to allow him to heal, and Friday was his third game since returning. The inactivity has affected his scoring as he’s averaging 14.7 PPG, the lowest figure since his rookie season.

“Super unfortunate,” Booker said. “Been waiting on him to get back. Uncontrollable incident. Hate to see it.”

There’s more from the Pacific Division:

Juan Toscano-Anderson is thrilled to be back in the NBA after signing with the Kings on Friday, tweets Marc J. Spears of Andscape. The veteran swingman, who had been with the G League’s Mexico City Capitanes, sees numerous ways he can help his new team. “I’m just hella grateful and blessed to get another opportunity,” Toscano-Anderson said, before listing the attributes he brings to the club. “Leadership. Energy. Toughness. Versatility. Camaraderie. Defense.”
If the Kings make a trade before the February 8 deadline, it’s extremely unlikely to include second-year forward Keegan Murray, according to James Ham of The Kings Beat. A source tells Ham that Murray hasn’t been included in any trade talks is “considered part of the franchise’s foundation moving forward.”
The Lakers were missing three starters for Friday’s loss at San Antonio and only had eight available players on standard contracts, notes Khobi Price of The Orange County Register. None of the starters’ absences appear to be long-term as Anthony Davis rolled his left ankle in Wednesday’s game, Cam Reddish had soreness in his right knee and D’Angelo Russell was dealing with a non-COVID illness.

Bradley Beal To Miss Multiple Weeks With Ankle Injury

December 16th, 2023 at 6:24pm CST by Arthur Hill

Suns guard Bradley Beal is expected to miss “a few weeks” due to the right ankle injury he suffered Friday night, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic. However, medical tests revealed no major damage to the ankle, Charania adds.

The injury occurred in the first quarter as Beal rolled the ankle when he landed on the foot of Knicks guard Donte DiVincenzo on a shot attempt. DiVincenzo was assessed a Flagrant 1 foul for stepping into Beal’s landing area.

Beal was able to shoot his free throws and leave the court without help, but he was limping on his way to the locker room. X-rays were negative, according to an ESPN report, but he was ruled out for the rest of the game.

Friday’s game was only the sixth of the season for Beal, who had been dealing with back issues since the start of training camp. The Suns envisioned a high-scoring “big three” when they acquired Beal from Washington in an offseason trade, but Kevin Durant and Devin Booker have been battling injuries as well and the three of them have rarely been on the court at the same time.

“Injuries are a part of the game,” Phoenix coach Frank Vogel said. “I’m disappointed for him. You could see the disappointment on his face in the back. That’s my biggest concern, keeping him lifted. He’ll get back soon enough, but it’s been a frustrating injury type of season for him.”

Suns’ Bradley Beal Exits Friday’s Game With Ankle Injury

December 15th, 2023 at 10:25pm CST by Rory Maher

In just the second game featuring all of the members of Phoenix’s “big three,” Suns guard Bradley Beal sustained a right ankle injury in the first quarter of Friday’s contest against New York, per Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports (all Twitter links here).

Beal appeared to be in a lot of pain after attempting a shot and having Knicks guard Donte DiVincenzo step under his foot as he landed, which caused him to roll his right ankle (video link). DiVincenzo received a Flagrant 1 foul on the play.

Beal stayed in the game to shoot free throws and was able to walk off the court without assistance, but he seemed to have a limp and immediately headed back to the locker room. The Suns later ruled him out for the remainder of the contest, Bourguet adds.

It’s a tough setback for Beal, who was making just his sixth appearance of the 2023/24 season after battling a back injury for much of the fall, which caused him to miss 19 games. Phoenix’s other two stars — Kevin Durant and Devin Booker — have also missed time this season due to various injuries (four absences for Durant, nine for Booker).

As Bourguet tweets, the sample size is extremely small, but the Suns are plus-15 in the 23.8 minutes the trio have shared the court together thus far.

Hopefully the injury turns out to be minor, though it certainly looked like a bad sprain. Despite dealing with several injuries, the Suns have held their own to this point and had a 13-11 record entering Friday’s game.

Here are a few more injury notes on the Suns:

Sharpshooter Grayson Allen was questionable heading into the game but he returned from a three-game absence on Friday after dealing with a right groin strain, as Bourguet relays (via Twitter). Allen, who was acquired via trade in the offseason, is averaging career highs in several statistics, including points (12.3), rebounds (4.5), assists (2.9) and three-point percentage (46.8) through 19 games, all starts.
Josh Okogie missed his second straight game on Friday with a right hip injury, but it’s not a long-term concern, head coach Frank Vogel told reporters, including Bourguet (Twitter link). The 25-year-old is in his second season with the Suns after re-signing on a two-year deal in free agency over the summer.
Forward Nassir Little, who was acquired in the same blockbuster trade as Allen, recently returned from an orbital fracture, which requires him to wear a face mask on the court. He thinks the play he was injured on (video link) was a “dirty” one by Kings center JaVale McGee, per Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic (Twitter link). “I feel like it was a dirty play, I watched it over and over,” Little said. “He had hooked my arm … I could have broke my arm.”

Suns’ Big Three On Track To Debut Wednesday

December 13th, 2023 at 2:20pm CST by Luke Adams

DECEMBER 13, 2:20pm: After missing Beal’s return on Tuesday, Durant has been upgraded to probable to play on Wednesday vs. Brooklyn, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic, who reports (via Twitter) that all three Suns stars are expected to be available vs. the Nets.

DECEMBER 12, 1:08pm: Suns guard Bradley Beal is no longer on the injury report and will be available on Tuesday when Phoenix hosts the Warriors, but Kevin Durant has been ruled out due to a left ankle sprain.

It’s the second consecutive missed game for Durant and it means we won’t get to see the Suns’ big three of Beal, Durant, and Devin Booker take the floor together today.

Phoenix hosts the Nets on Wednesday, the Knicks on Friday, and the Wizards on Sunday, so if Durant is close to returning and Beal and Booker stay healthy, the trio could make its season debut later in the week.

Beal’s Suns debut was delayed this fall due to back issues. He appeared in just three games for Phoenix in early November before those back problems flared up again, forcing the team to rule him out for several more weeks. Beal played alongside Durant in those three games, but Booker was unavailable at the time as a result of a calf strain.

While it may take some time to work out the kinks, the expectation is that the Suns will have one of the NBA’s best offenses once all three stars are healthy and active. Even with just one or two available at a time so far this season, the team has performed relatively well, posting a 12-10 record with the NBA’s 11th-best offensive rating.

The Suns will also be without Grayson Allen (groin), Nassir Little (concussion protocol), and Damion Lee (knee surgery) on Tuesday.

Pacific Notes: Beal, Durant, Paul, Thompson, Tucker, Lakers

December 11th, 2023 at 9:50pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Suns wing Bradley Beal will be in action for just the fourth time this season when Phoenix faces Golden State on Tuesday. He hasn’t played since Nov. 12 due to a back injury.

“I’m excited,” Beal told Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic after Monday’s practice. “It’s been a process for sure. It’s been a game of patience, but definitely ready.”

However, it’s not a given that the team’s big three will all be in action at the same time. Kevin Durant is listed as questionable with a left ankle sprain. Beal will be playing with Devin Booker for the first time.

“I’m beyond excited (to play with Booker),” Beal said. “He’s playing at an elite level right now. It was tough the last couple of games just seeing him double teamed, triple teamed.”

Grayson Allen is listed as out due to a groin injury.

We have more from the Pacific Division:

The Warriors’ Chris Paul and Klay Thompson are expected to play on Tuesday, Anthony Slater of The Athletic tweets. Paul missed the last game with an illness and Thompson sat out Sunday’s practice because he was under the weather. Both practiced on Monday in Phoenix.
P.J. Tucker has seen his playing time evaporate with the Clippers and it might be tough for him to break into the rotation again, Law Murray of The Athletic opines. Murray notes that Tucker lacks the height to deal with most big men, the athleticism to deal with most guards, and the offensive punch to be a helpful wing at this stage of his career. The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported on Monday that numerous contenders are looking at potentially acquiring Tucker.
The Lakers will hang an in-season tournament championship banner from the rafters. It will be unveiled Dec. 18 and will feature a different shape and color than the team’s 17 NBA championship banners, Marc Stein tweets.

Bradley Beal On Track To Return Tuesday

December 10th, 2023 at 3:21pm CST by Luke Adams

Suns guard Bradley Beal practiced in full again on Sunday and is on track to return to action this Tuesday vs. Golden State, barring a setback, sources tell Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic (Twitter link).

Beal’s Suns debut was delayed this fall due to back issues. He appeared in just three games for Phoenix in early November before those back problems flared up again, forcing the team to rule him out for at least three weeks.

Head coach Frank Vogel stated in mid-November and again this week that the Suns’ goal is to make sure Beal is 100% healthy before he’s cleared, so that he doesn’t have to be in and out of the lineup due to his back ailment. After the three-time All-Star began practicing in full earlier in the week, Vogel indicated that they wanted him to “stack together a few practices” to make sure his body was responding well to the increased work.

The Suns’ star trio of Beal, Kevin Durant, and Devin Booker has yet to suit up in the same game so far this season, as all three players have missed time due to injuries.

Booker was unavailable during Beal’s three-game cameo last month and there’s no guarantee Durant will be able to play on Tuesday if and when Beal returns. Durant missed Friday’s game due to a sprained left ankle and wasn’t a full participant in Sunday’s practice, per Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports (Twitter link).

Phoenix has held its own with its big three banged up during the first quarter of the season. The team has a 12-10 record and sits at No. 7 in the Western Conference standings, just 1.5 games behind the No. 3 Mavericks.