Phoenix Suns DVOA, Stats, & NBA Rankings

Phoenix Suns center Nick Richards is listed as out for the team's Thursday night matchup with the Wizards in Washington. He was acquired in a trade from the Hornets on Wednesday night but has not joined the team yet, according to the official NBA Injury Report. Richards' next chance to suit up for Phoenix will be Saturday in Detroit. Until he's ready, Mason Plumlee will likely continue to start with Oso Ighodaro as his primary backup since Jusuf Nurkic (illness) was also listed out for Thursday Night's game.

Phoenix Suns guard Bradley Beal (ankle) was downgraded to out after being initially listed as doubtful for Thursday night's matchup against the Wizards. Beal sustained his sprained ankle on Tuesday against the Hawks. Beal won't get a chance to face his old team on Thursday, but he has been playing pretty well since moving to the bench for the Suns. While he's out on Thursday, other members of the second unit like Grayson Allen and Royce O'Neale will get more work. Allen could be an especially strong DFS or streaming option in a fantasy-friendly matchup against the Wizards, who allow the most points per game in the NBA.

Phoenix Suns guard Bradley Beal (ankle) will likely miss Thursday's return to his old stomping ground, as the team has labeled him doubtful ahead of the game against Washington. Beal injured his left ankle against Atlanta on Tuesday. Phoenix sent the former Wizards leader to the second unit earlier this month, but Beal has coped fairly well with his new role. He has averaged 16.3 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 4.0 assists coming off the bench. Other bench pieces, like Grayson Allen and Royce O'Neale, should feature more in the rotation if Beal can't play in Thursday's game. Allen has more fantasy upside, particularly in a matchup against a team that gives up the most three-point attempts in the league.

According to ESPN's Shams Charania, the Suns acquired center Nick Richards from the Hornets. In exchange, Charlotte will receive Josh Okogie. Richards has had some potent performances over the years and has averaged 11.3 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks in nine starts during the 2024-25 campaign. However, with Mark Williams healthy, the 27-year-old has had trouble getting on the floor, at least consistently enough to be a routine contributor for fantasy managers. With that in mind, Richards will presumably take over in the middle in Phoenix, especially with Jusuf Nurkic (illness) likely on his way out. His arrival should also mean Mason Plumlee, who had been starting, will head back to the bench, with Oso Ighodaro unlikely to see much work in the near future.

Phoenix Suns guard/forward Grayson Allen (knee) is available for Tuesday's clash against Atlanta. He carried a small question mark when the team initially listed Allen as probable for the game. The 29-year-old sharpshooter was limited to only 13 minutes in the previous game due to a knee issue. Fantasy managers could see significant production from Allen on Tuesday if he logs his usual workload, as the Hawks have the third-worst defensive record in the league and allow a lot of three-point shots.