Suns big man Frank Kaminsky has suffered a stress reaction of the right knee and will be out indefinitely, per Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated (Twitter link).
Kaminsky had been playing well in the absence of Deandre Ayton and was receiving rotation minutes prior to Ayton’s return. In fact, Kaminsky and JaVale McGee played so well that Zach Lowe of ESPN wondered how the Suns’ strong play during Ayton’s absence might affect his leverage in contract negotiations next summer.
Through nine games, Kaminsky was averaging 10.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 0.9 steals, 0.8 blocks, and just 0.6 turnovers in 20.1 minutes per night. He was also shooting a career high 54.5% from the field and 90.0% from the free throw line (small sample size).
Against Portland on Nov. 10, he had a huge game, putting up 31 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists on 12-18 from the field, 2-5 from deep, and 5-5 from the line.
It’s unclear how long Kaminsky will be out, but obviously it’s bad news for him personally and for the Suns’ depth. Kaminsky will be an unrestricted free agent in 2022. He re-signed with the Suns on a minimum contract last summer.