The Phoenix Suns have been playing some solid basketball to start the 2022-23 NBA season, but it appears as though some adversity is about to hit. Cam Johnson has suffered a torn meniscus in his right knee and will undergo surgery, the team announced on Sunday. There is currently no timetable for his return.Â
Johnson suffered the injury during Phoenix’s 108-106 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday night. Johnson appeared to tweak his knee during the first quarter of the contest and didn’t return to game action after subbing out.Â
Johnson moved into the starting power forward spot for the Suns this season. He started in the team’s first eight games of the season and is averaging 13 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.1 steals per performance. A timeline will likely be established in the near future, but Johnson is certainly going to miss some time, and potentially a significant amount.Â
In Johnson’s absence, Torrey Craig and Dario Saric will likely see their roles increase greatly for Phoenix. The Suns will feel Jae Crowder’s absence during this time. Crowder was the team’s starting power forward in the previous two seasons, but he’s currently away from the team awaiting a trade. Perhaps Johnson’s injury will spur Crowder to return to the team. Either way, the Suns will have to rely on the entirety of the roster to step up in the absence of a starter.Â