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Shams: Suns' Devin Booker Could Miss at Least 7-10 Days With Sprained Ankle Injury

Scott Polacek@@ScottPolacekX.com LogoFeatured Columnist IVMarch 4, 2024

PHOENIX, AZ - MARCH 2:  Devin Booker #1 of the Phoenix Suns warms up before the game against the Houston Rockets on March 2, 2024 at Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2023 NBAE (Photo by Kate Frese/NBAE via Getty Images)
Kate Frese/NBAE via Getty Images

The Phoenix Suns will not have Devin Booker for the immediate future.

"The Suns and Devin Booker are bracing for his right ankle sprain to keep him sidelined for at least the next seven-to-10 days," Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium reported.

Shams Charania @ShamsCharania

Update on an expected timeline on Phoenix Suns All-Star Devin Booker's right ankle sprain: <a href="https://t.co/psi2abAm6r">pic.twitter.com/psi2abAm6r</a>

Booker suffered the injury during Saturday's loss to the Houston Rockets when he stepped on teammate Royce O'Neale's foot. That was also the game in which Bradley Beal was ejected, which left the Suns rather short-handed in the final stretch of the 118-109 loss.

Head coach Frank Vogel told reporters after the game that Booker's X-rays were negative.

The four-time All-Star missed Sunday's 118-110 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Beal picked up the slack with 31 points on 10-of-14 shooting from the field, but it still wasn't enough to counter all five Thunder starters scoring in double figures with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leading the way with 35 points.

The timing is less than ideal for Phoenix, as it plays four games in the next week.

That stretch starts with a high-profile showdown with the reigning-champion Denver Nuggets on Tuesday before games against Eastern Conference foes in the Toronto Raptors, Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers.

Perhaps Booker will be available for Phoenix's road game against the Celtics on March 14 given the reported timeline, which comes shortly after the Suns host Boston on Saturday.

Booker is averaging 27.5 points, 6.8 assists and 4.6 rebounds per game while shooting 49.4 percent from the field and 37.9 percent from deep this season.

Beal and Kevin Durant will have to carry the offense during his absence, while players such as Grayson Allen and Eric Gordon will likely be asked to contribute more to the scoring.