The Phoenix Suns have faced a series of setbacks on the injury front recently. Just as they welcomed back Bradley Beal from a hamstring injury, Devin Booker, Royce O’Neale, and Jusuf Nurkic all suffered various injuries in a tough loss to the Houston Rockets.
Fortunately, Nurkic quickly returned the following night and set a franchise record for rebounds, despite the Suns losing again, this time to the Oklahoma City Thunder. However, there’s concern about the neck sprain Nurkic sustained against the Rockets.
Both Booker and O’Neale rolled their ankles in the same incident, with O’Neale continuing to play despite the injury. However, Booker’s situation appears more serious, with expectations that he’ll miss around a week to 10 days due to a significant ankle sprain.
Devin Booker headed to locker room with apparent injury
Hope he's okay š pic.twitter.com/3nG7wPLxha
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 3, 2024
While Beal returned from his hamstring issue, concerns persist about his health. He was ejected unnecessarily during the game against the Rockets and may undergo surgery in the summer to realign his septum due to ongoing nose issues since breaking it earlier in the season.
Despite being instructed to wear a protective mask for his nose, Beal hasn’t used it in recent games. However, he still experiences difficulty breathing through his right nostril, which can affect his performance on the court.
Considering Beal’s age and the variety of health issues he’s faced this season, including back, nose, knee, and hamstring problems, the decision to undergo surgery, albeit minor and not expected to affect his availability next season, raises concerns. Once known as an ironman for playing every regular season game from 2017-2019 and earning All-Star honors, Beal’s durability has become a topic of discussion, especially with his recent string of injuries.
For the Suns, already struggling with injuries, the news of Beal’s potential surgery adds to their woes, highlighting the importance of maintaining a healthy roster for their playoff aspirations.