Suns rule Devin Booker, Bradley Beal out for season finale vs. Kings

The Phoenix Suns listed Devin Booker, Bradley Beal, Kevin Durant and Nick Richards out for Sunday’s season finale at the Sacramento Kings.

Booker has played in 49 of the last 50 games but will sit with what the team called right calf soreness. He told reporters after Friday’s win over the San Antonio Spurs he would probably take a seat.

“ Let the young guys get more opportunity, guys that have been working super hard this year and haven’t got much of an opportunity,” Booker said. “So, I don’t think I’ll be playing.”

Beal is listed out for rest, while Durant will have missed the final seven games with a sprained left ankle. Durant played in 62 games this season, missing out on All-NBA eligibility by three games. Beal finished his season having played in 53 games, the exact number as last year. Beal has not played more than 53 contests in any campaign since 2020-21.

Richards has right elbow inflammation and will miss a third straight game to end the year.

The absences will continue to open playing time for Phoenix’s younger players. Rookie Ryan Dunn is coming off a 26-point performance, and Oso Ighodaro has started the past two games with Richards out.

The Kings, meanwhile, have ruled out Jake LaRavia (thumb) and Malik Monk (calf).

Sacramento still has something to play for on the final day of the regular season. The Kings have clinched a spot in the play-in tournament as either the ninth or 10th seed in the Western Conference.

They will face the Dallas Mavericks, but the venue is to be determined. The Kings can lock in a home game by defeating the depleted Suns or if the Mavericks lose to the Memphis Grizzlies.

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