
Booker, who turns 22 next month, will undergo surgery in Los Angeles on Monday in hopes of alleviating discomfort caused by an injured ligament in his hand, a source told ESPN.
The news was first reported by Phoenix radio station 98.7 FM Arizona, which said the Suns’ leading scorer last season will be sidelined for at least four weeks and likely will miss the start of training camp. However, ESPN reported that Booker’s recovery schedule will not be known until after the procedure.
Per the 98.7 FM Arizona report, the original injury occurred during a practice on March 14 when Booker jammed his hand, a day before he shot 3-for-18 in a loss to the Utah Jazz. For the remainder of the season, Booker was forced to wear a splint before he eventually missed the season’s final 12 games.
Booker has averaged more than 22 points per game in each of the past two seasons for Phoenix, who signed the former Kentucky star to a five-year, US$158 million (RM655 million) maximum extension this summer. He produced a career-best 24.9 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per game in his third NBA season in 2017-18.
The Suns drafted him with the #13 overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft.