Veteran Suns guard Bradley Beal is planning to be back in the fold for Phoenix at some point during the club’s ongoing road trip, reports Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic (Twitter link).
Next up for the Suns is a Friday clash in Boston, followed by a Sunday showdown in New York.
Beal has been on the shelf with a left hamstring strain for eight games, since a March 16 game against the Lakers.
The 6’4″ wing has been dogged by health issues for years. He hasn’t appeared in more than 53 games since the 2020/21 season, and hasn’t been available in more than 60 since 2018/19.
This year, Beal has suited up for 48 contests so far, starting 33. At most, he’ll be able to play in 54 bouts for the 35-41 Suns.
In his available contests, the 31-year-old is averaging 17.3 PPG, 3.6 APG, 3.4 RPG and 1.0 SPG. He’s also slashing an efficient shooting line of .505/.395/.813, but his defensive issues have resulted in him being occasionally benched by first-year head coach Mike Budenholzer.
Chemistry issues between Beal and All-Stars Kevin Durant and Devin Booker have made winning a tough prospect this year in Phoenix. As of this writing, the club occupies the Western Conference’s No. 11 seed, and is 1.5 games behind the No. 10-seeded Sacramento for the conference’s final play-in tournament slot.