NBA fines Phoenix Suns $25,000 after Booker makes surprise return

By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña

The National Basketball Association (NBA) confirmed that they slapped the Phoenix Suns with a $25,000 fine due to their failure to disclose the specific injury status of superstar Devin Booker during Game 6 of their Western Conference first-round elimination game against the New Orleans Pelicans.

Booker was out during the last three games of the series due to a Grade 1 hamstring strain and was ruled out indefinitely according to reports.

However, Booker surprisingly suited up for Phoenix in Game 6 and played 32 minutes in their 115-109 close-out game against the Pelicans.

The NBA announced that the Phoenix management failed to inform them regarding Booker’s status in “an accurate and timely manner.”

Following the decision, the NBA further stated that Phoenix’s actions towards Booker’s game time status was “violating league injury reporting rules.”

“I thought he was fine. When I talked to him, he was straight with me, like, ‘Coach, I’m fine, I feel strong.’ But when you watched the film, he did find places where you saw he might go or he might run full speed back in transition, it wasn’t like he was cheating the game, he was just more efficient,” said Phoenix head coach Monty Williams.

Despite the fine, the Suns will go back to the hardwood on May 3, 2022, as they kick off their Western Conference semifinals clash against Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks.

Dallas took down the tough Utah Jazz squad led by Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert in 6 games even without the presence of Doncic in the first three games.