Phoenix Suns: 3 big questions following 2019 NBA All-Star break

3. Is T.J. Warren okay?

Booker’s propensity for ending up on the injury report is nothing new, as he’s flitted back and forth between the active roster and the injury report all year. T.J. Warren’s injured ankle, however, is becoming a cause for concern since he’s still listed as “out” following the All-Star break.

Warren has missed a combined 16 games over two stretches this season, including the last 10 straight contests. He hasn’t played since Jan. 24, and he said he originally sustained the injury in late November. At what point should Phoenix be concerned about the status of its second-leading scorer?

Missed time is nothing new for Tony Buckets, who’s missed 42, 35, 16 and 17 games in the first four seasons of his career. Having already missed 16 games this year (with more on the way), Warren’s latest injury is as unfortunate as ever, not only because the team is 1-15 without him, but because he was in the middle of a career year.

Neither his 18.0 points per game nor his 4.0 rebounds a night represented career highs, but the biggest improvement in his game — 3-point shooting — was one of the most drastic one-year turnarounds in NBA history.

Last season, Warren shot 22.2 percent from 3 on 1.4 attempts per game. This year, he’s knocked down 42.8 percent of his 4.2 attempts per game. He’s still flawed as a defender and playmaker in head coach Igor Kokoskov’s system, but with the roster being what it is, it’s pretty clear the Suns are a much worse team as long as he’s out.