Deandre Ayton is upgraded to doubt for Tuesday’s game against Charlotte after missing the last two games with a non-COVID illness.
The Suns big man was at the practice facility for the morning shoot, running on the treadmill during media viewing availability.
Devin Booker (left groin strain), Cameron Payne (right foot sprain) and Landry Shamet (right foot pain) are out for Phoenix (24-24), winners of their last three games.
Payne will be re-evaluated in a week after being recently re-evaluated.
The Suns announced on January 7 that Payne would be re-evaluated in two weeks. So Payne should have been re-evaluated on Saturday January 21st.
The backup point guard hasn’t played since Jan. 4 in Cleveland. He has missed Phoenix’s last nine games. Payne had already played nine games with a strained right foot, returned January 2 in New York and re-injured his foot the next game in Cleveland.
Booker is scheduled for his reevaluation this week. The Suns announced on December 28 that Booker would be re-evaluated in four weeks. Based on this, Booker would have been reevaluated as early as Wednesday.
The All-Star guard has not played since re-aggravating his groin on Christmas Day in Denver. He missed 14 consecutive games with a left groin strain after sitting out three games with groin pain.
Suns forward Torrey Craig said Booker was looking to play 1-on-1 on Tuesday.
Suns head coach Monty Williams indicated last week that Shamet could be out for an extended period of time with his foot injury, saying the team was gathering more information about it.
Read more: 5 takeaways as Suns hold off Grizzlies in Chris Paul return
Shamet had missed three games with sore right hip, returned January 16 in Memphis, but missed Phoenix’s last two games with sore right foot. Shamet suffered a stress fracture in his right foot at Wichita State College.
Chris Paul returned on Sunday after missing seven games with right hip pain. The All-Star guard scored 22 points and dished out 11 assists in Phoenix’s 112-110 win over Memphis at the Footprint Center.
Charlotte (13-35) lost, 120-102, Monday night to Utah (25-25). The Hornets are eliminated by former Suns forward Kelly Oubre Jr., who underwent surgery on his left hand earlier this month.
LaMelo Ball (right wrist pain and left ankle pain) and Cody Martin (left knee pain) did not play on Monday.
Do you have an opinion on the current state of the suns? Reach Suns insider Duane Rankin at [email protected] or contact him at 480-787-1240. Follow him on Twitter at @DuaneRankin.
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