Suns sign guard Josh Gray to second 10-day contract
Feb 12, 2018, 12:23 PM
Phoenix Suns guard Josh Gray (14) loses the ball as he attempts a steal against San Antonio Spurs guard Bryn Forbes (11) during the second half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2018, in Phoenix. The Spurs defeated the Suns 129-81. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
(AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
With guards Devin Booker and Tyler Ulis questionable to play Monday at Golden State, the Phoenix Suns have retained backup point guard Josh Gray by signing him to a second 10-day contract.
Gray joined the Suns on his first 10-day deal on Feb. 2, and the team will only be allowed to sign him for the remainder of the year after his new contract expires.
In four games with Phoenix, Gray has averaged 6.8 points, 3.0 assists, 2.5 rebounds and 2.0 steals in 17.5 minutes per night. If Booker and Ulis are unable to play against the Warriors, Gray will earn backup point guard minutes behind starter Elfrid Payton, who was acquired for a second-round pick at the trade deadline.
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The 6-foot-1, 180-pound Gray was originally recalled from the Northern Arizona Suns, Phoenix’s G League affiliate. There, he averaged 17.9 points, 6.0 assists and 4.0 rebounds per game.
The 24-year-old went undrafted out of LSU in 2016.
Phoenix’s need for Gray stems from Booker’s left hip pointer that has kept him out of the last three games, and Ulis’ injury two games ago. Ulis missed most of that game against the San Antonio Spurs and the entirety of the Suns’ last outing, a 123-113 loss to the Denver Nuggets on Saturday.
In his debut for the Suns, Payton scored 19 points to go with nine assists against the Nuggets.
