The Suns are going to be without both of their All-Stars for a few games.
While Chris Paul continues to be sidelined with a fractured thumb, the Suns announced on Wednesday that Devin Booker has entered the league’s health and safety protocols.
Suns say All-Star Devin Booker has entered health and safety protocols.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 2, 2022
Booker is leading the Suns with 25.6 points per game this season. He’s also averaging a career-best 5.2 rebounds to go along with 4.6 assists and 1.1 steals.
What does Booker’s absence mean for the Suns?
How long will Devin Booker be out?
It’s currently unknown how long the Suns will be without Booker, but it was revealed at the end of December that the isolation period for a player testing positive for COVID-19 was being shortened from 10 days to six days as long as they are asymptomatic and meet other testing standards.
If Booker is out for six days, he could miss Phoenix’s next four games. If he’s out for 10 days, he could miss the team’s next six games.
Following matchups with the Trail Blazers and Knicks at home, the Suns go on a three-game road trip where they’ll face the Bucks, Magic and Heat. They then return to Phoenix for matchups against the Raptors and Lakers.
| Date | Opponent | National TV |
| March 2 | vs. Trail Blazers | ESPN |
| March 4 | vs. Knicks | ESPN |
| March 6 | at Bucks | ABC |
| March 8 | at Magic | – |
| March 9 | at Heat | – |
| March 11 | vs. Raptors | – |
| March 13 | vs. Lakers | ESPN |
| March 15 | at Pelicans | NBA TV |
| March 16 | at Rockets | – |
How does Devin Booker’s absence impact the Western Conference playoff race?
At 49-12, the Suns are currently 6.5 games ahead of the Warriors and 7.0 games ahead of the Grizzlies for the best record in the Western Conference. The Warriors are 4-6 in their last 10 games, but the Grizzlies have been one of the hottest teams in the league lately.
Difficult as it would be for the Warriors and/or Grizzlies to catch the Suns with around 20 games remaining in each of their seasons, it’s not out of the realm of possibility.
According to PBP Stats, the Suns have played a total of 415 minutes without both Paul and Booker this season. To no surprise, the numbers point to them struggling offensively without their All-Stars on the court, but they’ve still posted a positive net rating on the strength of their defense.
Without Paul and Booker, look for Mikal Bridges, Deandre Ayton and Cameron Payne to do a lot of the heavy lifting for the Suns.