Luke Kennard is Finally Cleared to Play, But History Says Don't Get Comfortable

Phoenix Suns guard Luke Kennard is officially available to play Saturday, which means it is time to reset the "Days Since Last Injury" counter back to zero.

Underdog NBA relayed the update from head coach Jordan Ott that Kennard has cleared the injury report after dealing with his latest bout of knee soreness. Getting him back on the floor is a massive win for a Phoenix offense that desperately needs his gravity on the perimeter.

"Underdog NBA relayed the update: 'Ott: Luke Kennard (knee) available to play Saturday.'"

Trusting Kennard's health is an extreme sport. A quick glance at his Fox Sports injury log reads like a medical textbook index. Over the last few years, he has missed time for his knee, neck, back, hip, Achilles, foot, and calf. He once missed 38 games in a single season, including a 20-game stretch just for a bone bruise in his left knee.

When he actually laces them up, he is one of the most lethal shooters on the planet. His availability completely changes the geometry of the court for the Suns. If you are looking at the betting markets, his return immediately bumps up the value on Phoenix's team totals and opens up some intriguing three-point prop angles.

The immediate goal for Saturday is just getting him through four quarters without a trip to the locker room. If Kennard can string together a few healthy weeks, the Suns' rotation gets infinitely more dangerous. If not, we will be right back here reading another update from Ott by Tuesday.