NBA 2023-24: Bradley Beal likely to miss Suns’ opener due to an ailing back

Veteran guard Bradley Beal, acquired by the Suns in the offseason, has an ailing back and is unlikely to play when Phoenix opens the season Tuesday night against the Golden State Warriors

Phoenix Suns guard Bradley Beal (3) against Portland Trail Blazers | Photo Credit: REUTERS

The regular-season debut of the newly assembled trio of All-Stars with the Phoenix Suns apparently is on hold.

Veteran guard Bradley Beal, acquired by the Suns in the offseason, has an ailing back and is unlikely to play when Phoenix opens the season Tuesday night against the Golden State Warriors in San Francisco, The Athletic reported.

The Suns are “taking a cautious approach with Beal’s back,” per the report.

Beal was traded to the Suns from the Washington Wizards in June for Chris Paul, Landry Shamet and multiple draft picks.

The Suns acquired him to pair with stars Kevin Durant and Devin Booker and make a run toward a Western Conference title.

In two preseason games, Beal scored a combined 22 points over 32 minutes.

Beal, 30, played in just 50 games (all starts) last season. He averaged 23.2 points, 5.4 assists and 3.9 rebounds per game and shot 36.5 percent from 3-point range. Injuries and multiple stays on the COVID-19 reserve list have limited Beal to just 90 games over the past two seasons.

In his 11-year career since the Wizards made him the third overall draft pick out of Florida in 2012, Beal has averaged 22.1 points, 4.3 assists, 4.1 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game over 695 games (661 starts). A three-time All-Star, he finished second in the NBA in scoring twice (30.5 points per game in 2019-20, 31.3 ppg in 2020-21).