Suns set to offer Jimmer Fredette return to NBA
Thursday 21 March 2019 19:15, UK
Phoenix Suns forward Kelly Oubre Jr is set to undergo minor surgery on his left thumb and will miss the rest of the season.
The recovery for the 23-year-old is expected to be four to six weeks, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
Oubre has been playing the best basketball of his career since the Suns acquired him in December as part of the trade that sent Trevor Ariza to the Washington Wizards.
In 40 games with the Suns, Oubre has averaged 16.9 points and 4.9 rebounds, building on his career average of 9.4 points and 3.7 rebounds over four seasons.
Oubre, the 15th overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, has been averaging 20.2 points and 5.7 rebounds after being inserted into the starting line-up since the All-Star break. He will be a restricted free agent after the season.
The Suns are set to acquire some immediate reinforcement by signing former NBA player Jimmer Fredette for the rest of the season, with a team option for 2019-20.
Reports on Thursday said that Fredette, 30, is awaiting clearance from his current team, the Shanghai Sharks of the Chinese Basketball Association.
Fredette, who last played in the NBA for the New York Knicks in 2016, averaged 36.9 points per game this season for the Sharks, who were eliminated from the postseason Tuesday.
