The Phoenix Suns received some brutal news during NBA All-Star Weekend as it was revealed that starting point guard Chris Paul will be sidelined for six to eight weeks with an avulsion fracture in his right thumb.
The Suns, who are 6.5 games clear of the second-place Golden State Warriors, will be looking to hold onto that lead without their All-Star point guard.
The regular season ends in about seven weeks on April 10th, with the postseason beginning on April 16th. There is a good chance that Paul is ready to go for the start of the playoffs, but it will be tough not playing for nearly two months and then being thrown into the fire of a first-round playoff series.
The only positive to this injury being to his hand is that Paul should be able to keep up his conditioning. While he won’t be able to take part in basketball activities, he can remain active conditioning-wise.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Chris Paul Diagnosed With Fractured Thumb; Return Timetable
Losing Paul is a tough blow, but the Suns are lucky that there are some players available in free agency that could help fill the void. The buyout market already has some solid options and Phoenix should now become one of the top landing spots for Goran Dragic to consider.
Dragic has plenty of familiarity with the Suns. He started his career in 2008 and spent his first two seasons in Phoenix, before being traded to the Houston Rockets in his third season. He remained in Houston for one more season before landing back with the Suns as a free agent in 2012.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Chris Paul Diagnosed With Fractured Thumb; Return Timetable
He made it about 2.5 seasons again before he was traded a second time by the Suns, this time to the Miami Heat. He remained in Miami until the 2021 offseason when he was traded to the Toronto Raptors as part of the Kyle Lowry sign-and-trade deal.
The third time could be the charm for Goran Dragic, as the Phoenix Suns would be a good fit for him. He would have a chance at significant rotation minutes right away, helping compensate for the loss of Paul. With Cameron Payne also battling an injury, Phoenix could certainly use some help at the point guard position.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Chris Paul Diagnosed With Fractured Thumb; Return Timetable
Goran Dragic would be some good insurance to have, along with Aaron Holiday. Holiday was acquired at the trade deadline from the Washington Wizards and could be in line for a significant role going forward. There isn’t another point guard on the roster, so bringing in the veteran Dragic would make a lot of sense.
