Suns Notes: Highsmith, Green, Booker, Brooks, Anthony

Although Haywood Highsmith‘s agent said earlier this month that his client was fully recovered from an offseason knee surgery and appeared on the verge of making his season debut, John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 (Twitter link) hears that the Suns‘ newest swingman is still a few weeks away from playing in an NBA game.

Phoenix isn’t necessarily expecting a lot from Highsmith this season, according to Gambadoro, who suggests the team is taking a longer-term view on the 29-year-old after he signed a two-year contract that isn’t fully guaranteed in 2026/27.

As Gambadoro and his radio co-host Dave Burns said earlier this week (Twitter video link), the Suns may also consider Highsmith something of an insurance policy in the event that the team trades a wing like Royce O’Neale or Grayson Allen during the offseason. In that scenario, Phoenix would have an established veteran like Highsmith who could step into a larger role next season on a team-friendly deal.

Here’s more on the Suns:

• Health issues, including a nagging hamstring injury, limited Jalen Green to seven games in his first season a Sun, but he’s not on the team’s injury report as the second half begins, notes Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. “He’s in a good spot right now,” general manager Brian Gregory said of Green. “You know, injuries, unfortunately, are part of this league, and he’s done an unbelievable job. His spirit on a daily basis in terms of attacking the rehab, attacking the recovery, attacking the workouts has been spot on from day one.”
• Due to Green’s inconsistent availability, the Suns haven’t been able to take an extended look at the backcourt duo of Green and Devin Booker this season, but Gregory says he’s confident that the pairing can work long-term, as Rankin relays (via Twitter). “(Green’s) explosiveness, his ability to get to the basket, his feel for the game, I think those two guys together are going to form one of the best backcourts – if not the best – in the NBA as we move forward,” Gregory said. “Especially down the road as they get to play more and get a better feel for each other. But (Green) brings a lot of stuff that at times that we’re lacking. So I think his fit is going to be really, really good.”
• Dillon Brooks will sit out the Suns’ game in San Antonio on Thursday after being hit with an automatic one-game suspension for accumulating 16 technical fouls this season. Brooks would continue to receive one-game suspensions for every two techs he receives the rest of the way, but Gregory is optimistic that won’t happen. “He knows his technical situation,” the Suns’ GM said, per Rankin. “We’ve had plenty of sit-downs and talks. He also knows how important he is for us to be on the court. So, I think with that, I think he understands exactly where he’s at.”
• Veteran guard Cole Anthony, a trade deadline acquisition in a financially motivated deal, is still on the Suns’ roster, but he’s listed as “not with team” and there’s still an expectation that he’ll be waived sooner or later, says Rankin.