Goran Dragic almost didn’t play Friday night.

On a bad ankle, with his Phoenix team needing to end a three-game skid, he decided to give it a try.

The result was a career-high 40-point performance in 42 minutes, leading the Suns past the New Orleans Pelicans 116-104.

“I think everybody knows about Goran Dragic now,” Suns coach Jeff Hornacek said, “or they should.”

A game-time decision because of a sore right ankle that had kept him out of Wednesday’s loss at Utah, Dragic played all but the last 10 seconds of the second half in the first 40-point game for a Phoenix player since Amar’e Stoudemire’s 44 on March 19, 2010.

– Associated Press

The Phoenix Suns have signed forward Shavlik Randolph for the remainder of the season and waived center Slava Kravtsov, the team announced today.

The 6-10, 240-pound Randolph is a six-year NBA veteran who has appeared in 111 career games (seven starts) with Philadelphia, Portland, Miami and Boston. Randolph, who competed collegiately at Duke, played with Philadelphia for three seasons from 2005-08, with Portland in the 2008-09 and 2009-10 seasons and with Miami in 2009-10, as well. Most recently in the NBA, Randolph appeared in 16 games for Boston last season, in addition to seeing action in one playoff contest. Earlier this season, Randolph spent time with the Foshan Long Lions of the Chinese Basketball Association. Between his NBA appearances with the Heat and the Celtics, Randolph played professionally in China and Puerto Rico.

He will be available for tomorrow night’s game vs. Atlanta.

Kravtsov, in his second NBA season, appeared in 20 games for the Suns this season, averaging 1.0 points and 0.9 rebounds in 3.0 minutes.

The Suns continue a four-game home stand on Sunday night as they host the Hawks with tip-off scheduled for 6:00 p.m. (Phoenix time). The game will be televised on FOX Sports Arizona, and carried on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM.

The Suns’ roster still stands at 15.

The Phoenix Suns’ P.J. Tucker has been fined $5,000 by the NBA for violating the league’s anti-flopping rules for the second time this season.

The incident occurred with 1:38 remaining in the fourth quarter of Phoenix’s 112-107 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday, Feb. 18, at Pepsi Center.

To view the play, click on this link.

Here’s the Arizona Republic reporting on Suns guard Eric Bledsoe, who has been out of action for a long time now. The team has done fine without him, but is still stronger with him healthy and on the floor:

The Suns players and staff get a pick-me-up at every practice and when they walk through the training room.

They have been seeing rehabilitating point guard Eric Bledsoe taking shots on the court and running on a treadmill.

Friday will mark five weeks since Bledsoe’s right-knee surgery. No timetable for a recovery or return was shared, but many believed he could return not long after the All-Star break.

“He’s making good progress on his rehab,” Suns President of Basketball Operations Lon Babby said. “He’s progressing as expected. We’re still optimistic that he’ll return some time after the All-Star break.

“He’s been working diligently with our training staff and the reports are encouraging.”

The Phoenix Suns have assigned guard Archie Goodwin to the Bakersfield Jam of the NBA Development League, the club announced today.

Goodwin (6-5, 198), a 19-year-old rookie from Kentucky, has appeared in 37 games with the Suns this season, holding averages of 3.1 points, 1.7 rebounds and 10.5 minutes.

This is Goodwin’s second assignment to the Jam this season as he was previously assigned on Jan. 23 and recalled on Jan. 26. In two games with Bakersfield, he has averaged 29.5 points and 6.0 rebounds in 44.0 minutes.

The Phoenix Suns weren’t supposed to be good this season. Or so most people thought. But with a 29-18 record, good offense, decent defense, an excellent young coach and a fun, versatile roster, the Suns have been the surprise of the league this season. And now they can aim higher. Lakers forward Pau Gasol’s best days are behind him, but if used properly he can still make a team like phoenix better. Here’s ESPN.com reporting on a Pau Gasol trade rumor:

The Phoenix Suns have emerged as a potential trade suitor for Los Angeles Lakers center Pau Gasol, according to sources close to the process.

Sources told ESPN.com that the Suns, among the options being weighed as part of their well-chronicled desire to acquire an established player as they make an unexpected playoff push this season, have been exploring the feasibility of trading for the Lakers’ four-time All-Star.

One option for the Suns, by virtue of their $5.6 million in available salary-cap space, is swapping the expiring contract of injured big man Emeka Okafor for Gasol, even though Okafor’s $14.5 million salary this season falls well shy of Gasol’s $19.3 million.

The Lakers engaged in similar trade discussions in late December and early January with Cleveland in a proposed deal that would have sent Gasol to the Cavaliers for the partially guaranteed contract of ex-Lakers center Andrew Bynum, who then would have been waived to help L.A. save roughly $20 million in salary and luxury-tax obligations.

With a 26-18 record, the Phoenix Suns have been one of the league’s biggest surprises this season. They recently brought back speedy guard Leandro Barbosa, on 10-day contracts. And today decided to keep Barbosa on the squad for the remainder of the season.

More info: Suns sign Leandro Barbosa for rest of season

The Phoenix Suns have recalled guard Archie Goodwin from the Bakersfield Jam of the NBA Development League, the team announced today.

Phoenix originally assigned the rookie guard to their D-League affiliate on Jan. 23. Selected with the 29th overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft, Goodwin appeared in two games for the Jam, averaging 29.5 points and 6.0 rebounds in 44.0 minutes. The 19-year-old tallied 32 points, shooting 15-of-18 from the free throw line, against Sioux Falls on Friday and scored 27 points against Reno on Saturday.

Goodwin will be with the Suns for their game tonight at the Cleveland Cavaliers. The contest will tip off at 4:00 p.m. (Phoenix time) and will be televised on FOX Sports Arizona with radio broadcast on Arizona Sports 620 (KTAR-AM).

The Phoenix Suns have assigned guard Archie Goodwin to the Bakersfield Jam of the NBA Development League, the club announced today.

Goodwin (6-5, 198), a 19-year-old rookie from Kentucky, has appeared in 36 games with the Suns this season, holding averages of 3.0 points, 1.7 rebounds and 10.3 minutes. The first-round selection (29th overall) of the 2013 NBA Draft scored a season-high 16 points at Sacramento on Nov. 19.

The Phoenix Suns announced today that they have signed guard Leandro Barbosa (lee-AN-dro BAR-bow-sa) to a second 10-day contract.

Barbosa signed his first 10-day contract with the club on Jan. 8. The 31-year-old guard has appeared in four games with Phoenix this season, averaging 9.3 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 21.5 minutes. In the Suns’ game at New York on Jan. 13, Barbosa came off the bench to score 21 points, including 14 in the fourth quarter, in 30 minutes of action.

The 6-3, 194-pound Barbosa is in his 11th season in the NBA, the first seven of which were played with the Suns, as he averaged 12.6 points, 2.6 assists and 2.4 rebounds in 466 games with Phoenix from 2003-10. Barbosa won the 2006-07 NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award with the Suns after posting career-highs of 18.1 points and 4.0 assists per game.

The Suns continue a season-long five-game home stand on Sunday night as they host the Denver Nuggets with tip-off scheduled for 6:00 p.m. (Phoenix time). The game will be televised on FOX Sports Arizona, and carried on Arizona Sports 620 (KTAR-AM).

Nick Young is nicknamed “Swaggy P.” Swag flies through the air anytime Young does anything. You can never have enough swag, as Young is well aware.

Unfortunately, yesterday during a Lakers vs Suns game, Young’s swag emerged in the form of a punch, and that’s no bueno. The NBA suspended him one game as a result, and fined a pair of Suns players as well.

Full details here: Nick Young suspended for punch

Phoenix Suns guard Eric Bledsoe today underwent successful arthroscopic surgery involving meniscus cartilage in his right knee, the team has announced.

The surgery was performed in Phoenix by renowned Suns team doctor and knee surgeon Thomas Carter. Bledsoe will immediately begin a recovery and rehabilitation program and will pursue a possible return to action during the second half of this NBA season.

Bledsoe has averaged 18.0 points, 5.8 assists and 4.3 rebounds in 24 games this season, his first with the Suns.

According to the Associated Press, “Bledsoe was having the finest season of his career after being acquired by the Suns from the Los Angeles Clippers in the offseason, averaging 18 points and 5.8 assists per game. He and Goran Dragic formed the double-point guard backcourt that had been the catalyst of the Suns’ surprising start to the season. This is the second time in a little over three years that the 24-year-old player has undergone surgery to repair a torn meniscus in the same knee. The first surgery was performed Oct. 7, 2011, during the NBA lockout of that season.”

According to Arizona Sports, “the Suns engaged with Bledsoe on extension talks but couldn’t reach an agreement before the NBA’s Nov. 1 deadline, though that seemed like the right move for Phoenix at the time because it could see Bledsoe’s production as the team’s centerpiece before committing to a major contract. But now the team may be burdened with the decision to match a maximum contract offer to Bledsoe despite the fact that he’s coming off a major injury.”

The Suns have signed guard Leandro Barbosa (lee-AN-dro BAR-bow-sa) to a 10-day contract, the team has announced.

The 6-3, 194-pound Barbosa is a 10-year NBA veteran who played the first seven seasons of his NBA career with the Suns, averaging 12.6 points, 2.6 assists and 2.4 rebounds in 466 games with Phoenix from 2003-10. Barbosa won the 2006-07 NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award with the Suns after posting career-highs of 18.1 points and 4.0 assists per game. The Suns advanced to the playoffs in five of Barbosa’s first seven seasons with the club as he ranks seventh in team history with 64 career playoff games, in which he averaged 10.2 points.

The 31-year-old guard has played for three NBA teams since being traded by Phoenix to Toronto in the summer of 2010, spending time with the Raptors (2010-12), Indiana Pacers (2011-12) and Boston Celtics (2012-13). Last season, Barbosa appeared in 41 games with the Celtics before suffering a torn ACL in his left knee on Feb. 11. He was traded to Washington on Feb. 21, but did not appear in a game with the Wizards as he recovered from injury.

A native of Sao Paulo, Brazil, this season Barbosa averaged 15.9 points and 3.1 assists in eight games for Sao Paulo-based Pinheiros/Sky of the Brazilian League.

The Suns continue a season-long five-game road trip tonight as they prepare to face the Minnesota Timberwolves with tip-off scheduled for 7:30 p.m. (Phoenix time). The game will be televised on FOX Sports Arizona and ESPN, and carried on Arizona Sports 620 (KTAR-AM).

The Toronto Raptors’ Dwane Casey and the Phoenix Suns’ Jeff Hornacek today were named the NBA Eastern and Western Conference Coaches of the Month, respectively, for games played in December.

Casey led the Raptors to an 8-6 (.571) record, including road wins over the Dallas Mavericks and Oklahoma City Thunder. The six road wins Toronto posted tied for best in the conference in December (Maurice Cheeks led the Detroit Pistons to six road wins). The Raptors had five players account for double-digit scoring averages on the month, and closed December winning seven of their final nine games.

Hornacek guided the Suns to a 10-3 (.769) record, including wins over the Mavericks, Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Clippers. Phoenix recorded a five-game winning streak between Dec. 4-15, the longest winning streak the Suns have had since January, 2011. The Suns, who rank eighth in the NBA in scoring at 103.7 ppg, eclipsed the 100-point plateau in 10 of their final 11 December contests.

Other nominees for Coach of the Month were Atlanta’s Mike Budenholzer, Golden State’s Mark Jackson, Indiana’s Frank Vogel, Los Angeles Clippers’ Doc Rivers, Miami’s Erik Spoelstra, Oklahoma City’s Scott Brooks, Portland’s Terry Stotts and San Antonio’s Gregg Popovich.

The Austin Toros today announced they have acquired center Luke Zeller. Zeller (6-11, 245, Notre Dame) joins the team in Tulsa and will wear jersey No. 21 when the Toros take on the 66ers tonight at 7:00 p.m. at SpiritBank Event Center.

A member of the Toros’ 2012 D-League championship team, Zeller played in 24 games during the 2011-12 season averaging 9.1 points and 5.3 rebounds in 25 minutes.

His last stop was with the Phoenix Suns during the 2012-13 season. Zeller’s professional career includes stints in Japan, Lithuania, and the D-League with the Bakersfield Jam.

Here’s CBS 5 reporting on former NBA player Richard Dumas, who has gotten himself into some big trouble:

The U.S. Marshals Service has wrapped up a three-day pre-holiday sting appropriately dubbed “Operation Grinch Stopper 2″ throughout Arizona in which more than 150 people were arrested, including a former Phoenix Suns player.

The operation targeted individuals with outstanding arrest warrants for property crimes, including armed robbery, larceny, burglary and any other Grinch-type crime, according to a U.S. Marshals spokesman.

There were 112 arrests made by officers from 27 agencies that participated in the operation in Maricopa and Pinal counties, and 39 arrests in and around Tucson, Yuma and Flagstaff…

Richard Dumas, 44, was wanted by Maricopa County prosecutors after being indicted for eight counts of organized retail theft. Dumas, a former Phoenix Suns basketball player, was located at the Dumas and Friends Athletic Association in Litchfield Park and arrested without incident.

Here’s Arizona Sports on the Phoenix Suns starting the new NBA season with a lot more wins than anyone expected:

For a team with 10 new faces and a roster that is the second-most inexperienced in the NBA, the Suns, who were not expected to win much, won more than they lost through the first month of the season.

Their 9-8 record is ninth-best in the Western Conference; though if they resided in the East, they would trail only Indiana (16-1) and Miami (14-3) for top honors.

“I guess we can’t complain,” head coach Jeff Hornacek said. “We’re above .500 right now.”

The Suns are one of the early season surprises, while also at times puzzling to observers.

For example, they handed Portland, whose 14 wins are tied for the most in the conference, two of its three losses and battled Oklahoma City and San Antonio down to the wire before losing close games on the road.

Then there are the two defeats to Sacramento, which has only two other wins on the year, and a bad home loss to Utah, which had not won on the road before Saturday’s 122-104 victory at US Airways Center.

The NBA season isn’t two weeks old yet, but so far the Phoenix Suns have been fun and successful. Here’s Arizona Sports:

Apparently, someone forgot to tell the Suns they aren’t supposed to be any good this season.

They win their second straight and at 5-2 are three games over .500 for the first time since April 19, 2012 (33-30) after beating the New Orleans Pelicans by a final of 101-94 in front of 13,154 at US Airways Center.

Eric Bledsoe scored 18 of his game-high 24 points in the second half. Markieff Morris added 23 to record his third straight game of 20 or more points. He’s shooting 78.9 percent (30-of-38) during this stretch.

Playing for the first time in a week and coming off the bench, Goran Dragic finished with 12 points. He had missed the past three games due to a sprained left ankle. The Suns have won five straight home games dating to last season.

Here’s Arizona Sports on the Suns pulling off some early-season wins, but while still looking for consistency:

The Phoenix Suns continued to defy expectations by grabbing their fourth win Friday in their first six games of the season, but there was a moment of panic during the team’s 114-103 win over the Denver Nuggets at US Airways Center.

The Suns went into halftime with a comfortable 64-47 lead, but the team’s starters soon saw that lead evaporate to a feisty Nuggets squad. With 4:30 left in the period, Denver took the lead at 74-72 with point guard Ty Lawson’s three-point play. Denver built an 84-74 lead just over two minutes later, having outscored the Suns 37-10 at that point in the quarter.

After a timeout, the Suns’ bench got the team back in the game. Ish Smith and Marcus and Markieff Morris helped Phoenix close out the quarter on a 10-3 run, putting the team in position to eventually win the contest.

Even though Phoenix won by double digits, head coach Jeff Hornacek was concerned after the game about his squad’s third-quarter meltdown.

“We turned it on again (after Denver re-gained the lead), but it’s almost a dangerous thing to think that you can just turn it on at any time. Sometimes you can; sometimes you can’t,” the coach said.

The NBA season started Tuesday, and on Wedneday there were 14 games. One great performance came from an unexpected source. Here’s Arizona Sports:

It’s just one game and it came against an underwhelming Portland Trail Blazers team, but the Phoenix Suns’ revamped frontcourt had a solid season debut in Wednesday’s 104-91 win at US Airways Center.

Despite operating somewhat shorthanded with the recent trade of Marcin Gortat and the suspension of forward Markieff Morris, Phoenix’s bigs left their mark on a game that opened something of a new era for the Suns, who were debuting new jerseys, a new coach and an overhauled roster.

Center Miles Plumlee, acquired in an offseason trade with the Indiana Pacers, scored 18 points, grabbed 15 rebounds and blocked three shots — surpassing his 2012 season total for points and matching it in blocks.