Phoenix Suns' Deandre Ayton to Miss Tuesday's Game Against Charlotte Hornets

The Phoenix Suns will be without their star big man for at least another game. The team announced via their official injury report that Deandre Ayton will miss Tuesday's matchup with the Charlotte Hornets due to a non-COVID illness.

#Suns injury report vs. #Hornets

Deandre Ayton (illness), Devin Booker (groin), Cameron Payne (foot), Landry Shamet (foot) and Jae Crowder (not with the team) OUT.

Josh Okogie (broken nose) AVAILABLE.
— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) January 24, 2023

Ayton is missing his third straight game with the illness. He has generally been healthy and reliable this season, starting in 40 of the Suns' 48 games this season while averaging 17.5 points per game and 9.9 rebounds per game.

After two consecutive dominant campaigns that totalled a staggering 115 wins to only 39 losses, the Suns have receded to the pack in the 2022-23 season. Their 24-24 record has them sitting at seventh in the Western Conference, but the standings are so tight that a loss or win can send any team rocketing up the standings or falling all the way out of the play-in tournament. The Suns will need their trio of Ayton, Devin Booker, and Chris Paul to lift each other up to the standards of last year if the team is going to rejoin the NBA's elite.

Following Tuesday's showdown with the Hornets, the Suns host the Dallas Mavericks in a rematch of the 2021-22 Western Conference Semi-Finals.