Devin Booker’s Groin Injury Highlights a Bigger Problem in Today’s NBA
Devin Booker came out firing Monday night against the Lakers, torching L.A. for 11 points in the first quarter. He looked sharp, aggressive, and in rhythm-exactly what the Suns needed.
But just as quickly as he heated up, he was gone. A groin issue forced him out of the game, and suddenly, Phoenix was once again staring at the all-too-familiar sight of their star player in street clothes.
It’s a frustrating pattern that’s become almost expected. Booker’s injury history isn’t new, and unfortunately, it doesn’t look like it’s going away anytime soon.
But this isn’t just about one player. It’s about a league-wide trend that’s becoming harder to ignore.
The Burden Booker’s Been Carrying
Let’s start with the context. November wasn’t kind to the Suns.
Their secondary scoring options were either absent or limited-Jalen Green battled a hamstring issue, Grayson Allen dealt with a bruised hip, and Mark Williams had rest nights. That left Booker to carry the load, both physically and mentally.
And while the production may have dipped, the effort never did. That’s been the defining trait of Booker’s season: relentless effort.
He’s been asked to do more on the defensive end, to be more physical, more engaged, and to lead by example on both sides of the floor. Not every star embraces that kind of shift.
But Booker has.
This is a guy who’s leaned into the gritty side of the game, taking on more defensive assignments and playing with a chip on his shoulder. He’s bought into what Phoenix is building, even as the roster around him has been in flux. So when a player like that goes down-not because of a freak accident, but because of accumulated wear-it stings.
A League-Wide Epidemic
Booker’s groin issue isn’t an isolated incident. Soft tissue injuries-hamstrings, groins, Achilles-are becoming more and more common across the NBA. And while no sport is immune to injuries, the sheer volume of stars missing time is alarming.
It’s not just twisted ankles or contact injuries. These are fatigue-based setbacks.
The kind that build up over time. The kind that happen when players are pushed to the edge physically, night after night, without enough recovery.
The NBA is a grind. Always has been.
But the modern game is faster, more spread out, and more demanding than ever. Analytics have pushed efficiency to the forefront, and that means players are asked to do more in less time-more sprints, more spacing, more possessions.
It’s a beautiful product when it works. But it’s also punishing.
And the schedule? That’s not helping.
The Scheduling Problem
Let’s look at what the Suns just went through. Seven games in 11 nights.
That’s a brutal stretch for any team, let alone one dealing with injuries up and down the roster. Then, suddenly, they play one game in the next seven days.
That’s not balance. That’s chaos.
The NBA regular season runs from mid-October to mid-April-about 172 days to play 82 games. That’s already a tough ask. But when you throw in 16 back-to-backs, travel, and the physical toll of the modern game, it becomes a recipe for exactly what we’re seeing now: stars sidelined, fans frustrated, and teams scrambling.
There’s a fix here, and it doesn’t require fewer games. It requires smarter scheduling.
Stretch the season by a few weeks. Start in December.
Run through June or even August. Own the summer.
Give players real rest. Let the product breathe.
Because right now, the league is asking players to do more with less-and the result is a growing list of injuries that’s robbing fans of the very stars they pay to see.
A League Focused on the Bottom Line
The NBA has never been more profitable. But at what cost?
Fans are paying more-more for tickets, more for streaming services, more for merchandise. And in return, they’re getting a product that often feels incomplete.
Nights where the marquee names are out. Games where the energy feels off.
Seasons where teams never quite hit their stride because they’re constantly managing injuries.
Booker’s groin strain is just the latest example. A player who’s doing everything right-buying in, playing hard, leading his team-ends up sidelined because the system around him isn’t built to protect him. And he’s far from alone.
The NBA loves to tout innovation. In-season tournaments, new broadcast packages, global outreach. But the most basic innovation-protecting the health of the league’s most valuable assets-still feels like an afterthought.
What Comes Next?
There’s no easy fix. No magic number of games or perfect calendar tweak that will eliminate injuries altogether.
But there is a better way to structure this league. One that puts the players first.
One that prioritizes recovery as much as performance. One that understands that the best version of this league is the one where Devin Booker is on the floor, not on the bench.
Until then, we’ll keep seeing moments like Monday night. A star catches fire, gives the fans a glimpse of greatness-and then limps off, another casualty of a schedule that demands too much and gives too little.
The NBA has a chance to change that. The question is: will they?