UPDATE: Booker WILL play, but Bradley Beal (back) unlikely to play in opener vs Warriors, per Shams

When excitement felt so high for the Phoenix Suns opener in front of a national stage Tuesday night, we got a little dampener to that on Tuesday morning.

Newcomer star guard Bradley Beal was listed as questionable in the release sent out by the team on Monday with lower back tightness. We then heard straight from the mouth of Beal at practice what he thought about his status, asked if he’d be good to go replying, “I hope so,” but dropped the bread crumbs that we might see this:

The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported early Tuesday that the Suns were taking a “cautious approach,” and would be holding Beal out of the opener vs Golden State Warriors.

Beal has averaged just under 52 games played per season over the past four years and will start behind the 8-ball in this season in that respect, but I think most Suns fans would understand the cautious approach in prioritizing spring and summer games over fall games. Plus, anyone with a back injury under their belt knows they are not to be tested.

UPDATE on BOOKER:

Devin Booker, listed on the same injury report as questionable (toe soreness), told Arizona Republic’s Duane Rankin after shootaround that he WILL play tonight.

The Suns are set to go into Tuesday’s opener with their star pairing from last playoffs, Booker and Kevin Durant, along with the many newcomers on the roster, at 7 p.m. on TNT.