Like most players, coaches and fans of the Phoenix Suns, Torrey Craig is still trying to piece together exactly what happened in Game 7 of the Western Conference semifinals.
Going from a league-best 64 wins to getting throttled at home in a second-round elimination game was a pretty jarring turn of events. But Craig echoed what Chris Paul, Devin Booker and several other teammates have said in regards to coping with it: Quality time with loved ones certainly helps.
“I mean, it was obviously a tough loss,” Craig told PHNX Sports. “But [the offseason]’s cool, man. Been staying in Phoenix, working out, spending time with my son doing adventurous things. So it’s always good to spend quality time with your family and loved ones. So that’s mostly what I’ve been doing this whole summer.”
Craig, who attended the Suns’ second NBA Summer League game in Las Vegas with his son, mentioned he’d been working out at the team’s practice facility in Phoenix. His fellow teammate Dario Saric has been there too, taking the next steps toward his return from meniscus surgery.
“Dario’s been there every day working and rehabbing,” Craig said. “He’s looking pretty good shooting and working out every day.”
The question now is which of Craig, Saric and the rest of their teammates will still be in a Suns jersey by the time training camp rolls around. After the Suns fell well short of their ultimate goal, Deandre Ayton’s sideline blowup and all the uncertainty that comes with his restricted free agency has the rumor mill churning at full speed.
Ayton’s future in the Valley was plenty murky before Kevin Durant requested a trade from the Brooklyn Nets, and now that one of the league’s all-time greats has reportedly named Phoenix as his preferred destination, pretty much everyone outside of Devin Booker and Chris Paul is no longer guaranteed to be on the roster for next season.
Craig, who is under contract with the Suns for one more year at a team-friendly $5.1 million, could very easily become part of a trade package sent to the Brooklyn Nets or a third team as part of a larger KD deal. For his part, the five-year veteran is just doing his best to avoid or ignore all the outside noise.
“Yeah, I mean, you have to, ’cause nobody really knows what’s going on or what’s going to happen,” Craig explained. “You can’t predict what’s going to happen, so you kind of have to just block it out and continue to work and try to get better.”
As for Ayton, Craig reiterated what Mikal Bridges and a few other Suns have said: While they’ve kept in touch with DA over the last few weeks, they haven’t really broached basketball, his contract situation or his future with the Suns.
“Yeah, I talk to DA a little bit,” Craig said shortly. “I don’t know anything about the situation, but I definitely talk to him.”
