Report: Suns' Bradley Beal Out vs. Warriors with Back Injury; Rehab Is 'Progressing'

Phoenix Suns guard Bradley Beal is reportedly out for Tuesday's season opener against the Golden State Warriors due to a lingering back injury, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium.

Charania added that "there's optimism the All-Star is progressing in his return process."

Beal was previously considered unlikely to play in the opening game, with Charania reporting the Suns were "taking a cautious approach with Beal's back ailment" as he begins his first season with the team. Beal appeared in two preseason games before tweaking his back and returned to practice Monday, but it appears he's still dealing with lingering pain.

The 30-year-old has dealt with consistent injuries over the last two seasons, playing in just 90 games since making his first All-NBA team in 2020-21. That campaign saw Beal emerge as one of the game's best all-around scorers, setting a career high with 31.3 points per game while acting as an offensive fulcrum in Washington.

The Suns have thrown their chips to the middle of the table with the star-laden core of Beal, Devin Booker and Kevin Durant. Any prolonged injury to one of the three All-Stars could have borderline catastrophic results, given the Suns have little depth behind them.

Eric Gordon, who is starting his 16th NBA season, is likely to get extended playing time with Beal out of the lineup. Grayson Allen, acquired in a deal that saw Phoenix sell off Deandre Ayton for depth parts, will also see an increase in his expected minutes.

The Suns play the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday night in what was expected to be another marquee game to start the 2023-24 regular season. If Beal sits out, that will mark two straight nationally televised games lacking a major star to start the year.