Suns guard Devin Booker will be reevaluated in one week after being diagnosed with a right groin strain, sources tell ESPN’s Shams Charania (Twitter link).
Booker, who sustained the injury on Monday vs. the Lakers, will miss games against Houston on Friday and Minnesota next Monday, with next Wednesday’s NBA Cup quarterfinal in Oklahoma City looking like his earliest possible return date.
Even if Booker isn’t ready to return in seven days, this outcome appears to be a “best case” for the Suns, according to Charania, who suggests the star guard’s injury isn’t a significant one.
Booker, 29, has been the top scorer for a surprisingly competitive Suns team this fall, averaging 25.0 points, 6.7 assists, and 4.3 rebounds in 34.7 minutes per game through his first 22 outings. Phoenix was expected to take a step back this season after trading Kevin Durant and buying out Bradley Beal over the summer, but the club is off to a 13-9 start, with Booker leading the way.
The Suns’ backcourt depth will be tested with Booker sidelined for multiple games. The team is also still without Jalen Green, who has missed most of the season due to hamstring issues.
However, Phoenix did get Ryan Dunn back on Monday after he missed five games with a sprained wrist. And while Grayson Allen sat out on Monday due to an illness, he had returned to action on Saturday following a seven-game absence due to a quad injury. Assuming they’re healthy, Dunn and Allen figure to play key roles for the Suns in the next week, along with guards Collin Gillespie, Jordan Goodwin, and perhaps Jamaree Bouyea, who logged a season-high 23 minutes on Monday.