Chris Paul Ruled Out for Suns vs. 76ers After Suffering Heel Injury

The Phoenix Suns announced point guard Chris Paul was ruled out for the remainder of Monday's game against the Philadelphia 76ers with right heel soreness.

Paul reportedly dealt with a quad injury during the Suns' second-round series against the Dallas Mavericks in the 2022 NBA playoffs, though the star guard refused to discuss the issue, per ESPN's Marc J. Spears. Phoenix lost the series in seven games.

The 37-year-old has dealt with a variety of mostly minor ailments over the past couple of years. He hasn't played more than 70 games since the 2015-16 season while with the Los Angeles Clippers.

Paul confirmed he planned to return for the 2022-23 campaign, though.

"I'm not retiring tomorrow, thank God," the 12-time All-Star told reporters after the Suns' postseason elimination. "Hopefully, I'm healthy coming back. But I'm [going to] keep playing."

He's proceeded to average 10.3 points, 10.2 assists, 4.8 rebounds and 1.7 steals in nine games so far this season.

While the Wake Forest alum is still a high-end contributor when healthy, it's important for Phoenix to have reliable backup options at the point given his age and recent injury history. Cameron Payne leads the reserves at the position.

Paul figures to see occasional games off throughout next season in an effort to keep him healthy. The main goal for the Suns, which posted the NBA's best record at 64-18 in 2021-22, is making sure he's as close to 100 percent as possible for the 2023 playoffs.