The Phoenix Suns kicked off the 2023-24 NBA season with high hopes, ushering in several changes to their roster.

From appointing Frank Vogel as Monty Williams’ successor to adding Bradley Beal to join forces with Kevin Durant and Devin Booker, they aimed for a stronger start to the season.

However, a bump in the road appeared during their season opener against the Golden State Warriors at the Chase Center in San Francisco, as Bradley Beal was forced to sit out due to a troublesome back issue. Phoenix managed to secure a win despite his absence, defeating Stephen Curry and the Warriors on their home turf.

Looking ahead to their Thursday matchup at Crypto.com Arena against the Los Angeles Lakers, the Suns find themselves facing a different challenge. Both Bradley Beal and Devin Booker, two crucial stars in the Suns’ lineup, will be missing from action. Beal continues to grapple with his back injury, while Booker is dealing with a foot problem, as reported by Shams Charania of The Athletic.

This development comes as a surprise, as it was anticipated that Beal would make his Suns debut against the Lakers. Additionally, Booker had just delivered a spectacular performance in the previous game, notching an impressive game-high 32 points against the Warriors in the Bay Area.

While the absence of these key players presents a hurdle for Phoenix’s newly formed Big 3, especially as they face Vogel, their former coach, in his first official game since parting ways, it also offers an improved opportunity for the Lakers to bounce back from their season-opening loss to the Denver Nuggets.