Update: Beal is out for the rest of Tuesday’s game due to a hamstring injury. He’ll finish with five points and one rebound in five minutes of action.
Phoenix Suns shooting guard Bradley Beal suffered a hamstring injury Tuesday against the Sacramento Kings early in the first quarter and has gone back to the locker room. Beal was playing through a nasal fracture with a mask but this injury is more emblematic of the guard’s struggles to stay on the floor over the last three seasons including this one.
Uh oh. #Suns Bradley Beal heads back to the locker room with what is being labeled as a hamstring injury
— Luke Lyddon (@Luke_Lyddon) February 14, 2024
Let’s hope it’s not serious..
The Suns “Big 3” hasn’t spent much time on the court together, largely due to Beal’s injuries. The big-time trade acquisition missed the early part of the season with a back injury that was lingering, then suffered an ankle injury before this most recent setback. The somewhat positive news here is the All-Star break, which gives the guard a chance to recover without missing too many games. Beal has dealt with a lot of injuries over the last three seasons now, and the Suns can’t afford to have him miss too much time.
Given how stacked the West is, Phoenix is nowhere close to being in a guaranteed playoff spot. That competitiveness, stacked with the injury potential Kevin Durant has as the season grows and Devin Booker’s own injury scares, creates issues. The Suns did bolster their bench at the trade deadline with Royce O’Neale, David Roddy and the recent buyout of Thaddeus Young, but none of that matters if the three stars aren’t intact.
If Beal misses time, look for Eric Gordon to fill in as the starter. Grayson Allen would also see more usage but he’s already part of the starting lineup. The Suns will lean on those players if Beal is out past the All-Star break.