March 1, 2026, 4:30 p.m. MT
Phoenix Suns All-Star guard Devin Booker has participated in live 5-on-5 action in practice after missing the team’s last four games with a right hip strain.
“Continues to progress,” Suns coach Jordan Ott said after March 1 practice. “He was able to get some live work here in practice, which again helps because we have so many days in between, so we can do that even with some even our rotation players were able to get in and do some 5-on-5 up-and-down work.”
Booker strained his right hip in a 121-94 loss Feb. 19 to the San Antonio Spurs in Austin. The five-time All-Star is averaging a team-high 24.7 points and 6.1 assists.
“He looked pretty good,” Suns big Mark Williams said after Sunday’s practice. “He’s always going to do what he can to get back.”
Booker has benefitted from an extended break in the schedule.
The Suns (34-26) haven’t played since the 113-110 thriller over the Los Angeles Lakers on Feb. 26 to end a four-game homestand.
They return to action March 3 at the NBA-worst Sacramento Kings (14-47), a game that starts at 9 p.m. MST.
“He knows his body better than anyone,” Ott said. “He’s been through these processes. Incredible recovery. So, he knows how he’s supposed to feel. How he’s supposed to feel when he plays.”
The Suns are 27-17 with Booker this season. His status for Tuesday’s game was uncertain as of Sunday.
“He did more (Sunday) than he did a couple of days ago,” Ott added. “All of that is moving in the right direction.”
The Suns are looking for Jalen Green to emerge from a shooting slump.
Playing just 12 games, mostly due to a right hamstring injury, Green is shooting just 21-of-75 from the field in his last four games, going 5-of-33 on 3s.
“It starts with his movement,” Ott said. “He looks like he’s moving the same. The conditioning piece. We obviously see him gassed probably a little bit sooner. He’s an incredible athlete, a young guy that probably never had to deal with conditioning issues because he ramped up into the season. I think that’s where it starts.”
The 24-year-old Green is averaging a career-low 12.9 points on 36% shooting, is 22-of-79 from 3, but playing a season-high five consecutive games is encouraging.
“He knows he’s a little out of rhythm, but it’s good just to get him out there,” Ott continued. “It’s like the consistent number of games I think is good. I think the four-day break for him too, just his body. Now he’s played in those games, five games after the All-Star break. He’s a little sore from it and that’s normal. Just going through all the normal basketball things that you take for granted when you start the season. Now he’s doing it 50 games in.”
Mark Williams on recent struggles
Mark Williams also hasn’t been nearly as productive on offense as of late, scoring just 21 points during the four-game homestand on 27 shot attempts (made 10).
“Just what it is,” Williams said. “Offensively, just finding touches and continuing to do what I do. Continuing to run the floor. It’s getting us open shots even if I’m not the one that’s getting them. Continuing to just be that engine, keep going. Offensively continuing to crash the glass and knowing that it’ll find me.”
Williams grabbed 10 rebounds against the Lakers, but the 7-footer only played 13 minutes while backup Oso Ighodaro logged 34 minutes. Playing all but 22 seconds in the fourth quarter, Ighodaro finished the game with eight points on 4-of-5 shooting, four rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocks.
“Just trying to trust my instincts and really go out there and compete in those late-game situations,” Ighodaro said after the game.
Ighodaro’s screening ability freed up Collin Gillespie for multiple looks from 3. Gillespie shot 4-of-5 from deep in the fourth against the Lakers.
“The faster I can get there, the less time they have to call the coverage out,” Ighodaro said. “The more likely the guard gets off the screen. Try to use my speed to my advantage.”
Williams has recently found himself in foul trouble as he’s been whistled for setting illegal screens. He ended Thursday’s game with four fouls.
“I don’t know what’s caused that change,” a smiling Williams said. “I think one could argue every screen is illegal that every team sets. Just trying to stay consistent, keeping a good base, making contact. Just try to keep doing the same thing and I think the calls will correct themselves.”
Ott knows the Suns need Williams and Ighodaro to play well regardless of who plays more.
“There’s only one five-man on the floor often times for us or around the league at a time,” Ott said. “There’s only one guy we can play. I thought last game (Ighodaro and Williams) played well. Oso was just part of that group (during the comeback) in the third quarter.”
Ott stuck with Ighodaro to help the Suns defend Lakers superstar Luka Doncic, who scored nine of his game-high 41 points in the fourth.
Williams is averaging 11.6 points on 63.5% shooting and 8.1 rebounds in a career-high 55 games in his first season with the Suns, while Ighodaro is averaging 5.7 points on 63.2% shooting and 4.6 rebounds in 60 games.
“We’re just going to need both of them at different points throughout the rest of this season,” Ott said.
Having Booker back will help Green and Williams.
“Book helps make all of our lives better,” Ott said. “Not just those two.”
Additional injury updates
Phoenix is down Dillon Brooks (left hand fracture), Jordan Goodwin (left calf strain) and Haywood Highsmith (right knee injury management).
Ott provided an injury update on Goodwin, who, along with Brooks, suffered their injuries Feb. 21 against the Orlando Magic.
“He’s just now ramping up,” Ott said. “He is on the court. He was on the court today. Book is further along than Goodie, but he is starting to progress onto the court.”
The Suns announced Feb. 24 Brooks will be re-evaluated in four to six weeks and Goodwin is set for a re-evaluation in one to two weeks.
Have opinions about the current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at dmrankin@gannett.com or contact him at 480-810-5518. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @DuaneRankin.
Support local journalism: Subscribe to azcentral.com today.