The wait may be over for Phoenix Suns trade deadline acquisition Cody Martin to make his team debut. The guard is available Friday against the Sacramento Kings after nursing a sports hernia since late January.
Suns coach Mike Budenholzer said pregame Martin could be available off the bench after participating in a pregame workout.
Martin was acquired on Feb. 6 from the Charlotte Hornets when the Suns shipped away center Jusuf Nurkic. He last played on Jan. 24 and has been capped at 39 games since then, averaging 7.8 points, 2.3 assists and 4.5 rebounds in 24.8 minutes per game.
Guard Grayson Allen (left foot strain) was ruled out after being listed as doubtful. He will miss his second straight game with the injury.
Budenholzer said pregame he doesn’t think Allen’s injury is something to be worried about.
“I think we’re hopeful that the next day or two or whatever, you know, short-term, that he will make progress and be good to go. But you’re just never sure,” Budenholzer told reporters.
Fellow guard Monte Morris (low back injury management), who also entered as doubtful, was ruled out. He will now miss at least 15 games, Morris last seeing action against the Denver Nuggets on Feb. 8.
Center Nick Richards (right ankle sprain) was ruled out by Budenholzer after a questionable designation. He also did not play in Wednesday’s loss to the Houston Rockets with an ankle injury. Richards had previously played in all 25 possible games with Phoenix after being traded from Charlotte in mid January.
With 16 games remaining, the Suns (30-36) sit 2.5 games back of the 10th-seeded Dallas Mavericks (33-34) for the final play-in tournament spot.
Kings injury report vs. Suns
Star power forward Domantas Sabonis (hamstring) was listed as available for Sacramento after being labeled questionable. He had recorded six consecutive absences. Sabonis averaged a double-double (15.5 points, 11.0 rebounds) in two previous wins over Phoenix this season.
Former Sun Jae Crowder, a member of the 2021 NBA Finals team, and Trey Lyles were both ruled out with lower back soreness.
Suns-Kings tips off at 7 p.m. on 98.7, the Arizona Sports app and Arizona Sports.com.