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Phoenix Suns F Kelly Oubre Jr. is expected to miss the restart of the 2019-20 season while rehabbing his knee, The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported on Wednesday. Here’s more from Shams:
Suns F Kelly Oubre Jr. (knee) is expected to miss resumption of season to continue rehabbing, reports our NBA Insider @ShamsCharania. pic.twitter.com/ujimKQZBoK
— Stadium (@Stadium) June 17, 2020
The plan is for Oubre to travel with the Suns to Orlando for the resumption of the NBA season. He won’t participate but will be present to support his teammates. With everything going on, it’s not all that surprising Oubre has opted to sit out. He tore his meniscus and underwent arthroscopic knee surgery back in early March before the season stopped. Usually the timeline for recovery is 1-2 months for this type of procedure, but Oubre is deciding to play it safe.
The Suns will enter the restart of the season 6.0 games back of the Grizzlies for the No. 8 seed in the West. With eight games remaining, Phoenix is a long shot to make the postseason anyway. That likely had something to do with Oubre’s decision. The Suns should continue to start young wing Mikal Bridges at SF for Oubre sidelined for the return. We also could see big lineups with Dario Saric at the 3.