The Phoenix Suns will reevaluate superstar Devin Booker in one week after he sustained a right groin strain on Monday against the Los Angeles Lakers, the team announced on Wednesday.
Booker exited in the first half of Monday’s win in Los Angeles and did not return. This is the second straight December in which Booker suffered a groin injury, as he missed five games with a left groin strain last year. He has had a groin or hamstring injury in December or January in seven of the last nine seasons.
The announced timetable eliminates Booker from playing in Phoenix’s game on Friday at the Houston Rockets and Monday at the Minnesota Timberwolves and pushes up against next Wednesday’s NBA Cup knockout round game against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Suns have not played a game since Monday, so it worked out in the schedule that Booker would miss time when there are several off days to lessen the number of games he’d miss.
In 22 games this season, Booker has put up 25 points, 6.7 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 0.9 steals per contest. He is shooting 45.7% from the floor and 31.5% from deep, as he had been in a shooting slump leading up to the injury.
Booker has had to carry a greater playmaking load with Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal no longer on the team and with Jalen Green having been healthy for one full game due to hamstring troubles.
Without Booker on Monday, Dillon Brooks and Collin Gillespie picked up the offensive production with 61 combined points.