Devin Booker Won't Return vs. Jazz After Being Helped off with Ankle Injury

Phoenix Suns star guard Devin Booker suffered a sprained ankle and was ruled out for the remainder of Wednesday's game against the Utah Jazz, per Tony Jones of The Athletic.

Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium reported on Booker's status:

The 22-year-old is irreplaceable for the Suns. Not only does he lead them in scoring this season (26.9 PPG), but he's also served as the team's primary facilitator given their lack of point guard options and is averaging 6.9 assists per game.

Injuries have been a storyline this season, though. Booker dealt with a hamstring issue in late October and re-aggravated the same hamstring in early December. He also needed surgery on his hand in September, which cost him all of training camp and the preseason.

Before the hamstring injury, he dealt with a number of smaller issues that didn't keep him off the court but often left him at less than 100 percent.

Even with Booker on the court, the Suns have struggled mightily. The team's rebuilding efforts didn't take allow it to make the expected jump forward this season despite drafting DeAndre Ayton and Mikal Bridges and signing Trevor Ariza, who was later traded.

The Suns have limped out to a dismal 18-60 record and once again appear primed to hold a top-five pick in this year's draft. Should Booker be shut down for the rest of the season to avoid further injury, that downward trajectory will only accelerate.