Devin Booker Injury: Suns Guard Exits vs. Spurs, Will Not Return With Right Hip Soreness
Devin Booker injury emerged as a game-altering development on Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026, when Booker left against the San Antonio Spurs and will not return because of right hip soreness. The withdrawal interrupted his night after nine minutes of play and triggered a lineup change with immediate in-game consequences.
How the game unfolded and the verified status
Booker left the contest twice: he went to the locker room in the first quarter for an undisclosed reason but returned to continue into the second quarter. With 2: 35 remaining in the second quarter he was replaced by Isaiah Livers and then went back to the locker room again. The team has listed him out for the remainder of the night, citing right hip soreness. Prior to exiting, Booker had recorded five points and one rebound in nine minutes of action.
Devin Booker Injury: Immediate lineup effects and beneficiaries
Isaiah Livers took Booker’s spot after the exit and is positioned to absorb more minutes in a small forward role. Within the on-court configuration mentioned during the game, Collin Gillespie and Jalen Green were occupying guard slots while Livers shifted into the forward spot. That rotation change is the primary, confirmed short-term consequence of Booker’s removal from the game.
Unknowns remaining and what to watch
- The initial trip to the locker room in the first quarter was listed as undisclosed; the reason for that first exit has not been clarified.
- The precise medical evaluation details and any follow-up testing for the right hip soreness have not been provided.
- The timeline for Booker’s return to play beyond this game is not stated.
Next steps and realistic scenarios
- Game-day confirmation: Booker will not return for the remainder of the specified game (this is confirmed for tonight).
- Short-term rotation shift: Livers remains the primary in-game substitute at small forward for the time being; expect the backcourt minutes to stay with Gillespie and Green for this matchup.
- Monitoring updates: Official team status updates or medical bulletins could follow and will determine whether Booker is listed day-to-day or receives a longer absence.
- Operational consequence for wagers: Because Booker left before halftime, early-exit protections tied to such in-game departures could be relevant to certain bets placed on him tonight.
Why this matters now
The confirmed Devin Booker injury alters immediate on-court strategy and minute distribution for the remainder of the game and could shape short-term rotation decisions. The substitution elevated Isaiah Livers into a larger role for this contest, and the team’s guard group of Collin Gillespie and Jalen Green covered the remaining backcourt responsibilities. Beyond tonight, clarity on the right hip soreness and the initially undisclosed first-quarter visit to the locker room will determine how the roster and coaching staff plan the next moves.
For now, the verified facts are limited: Booker exited with right hip soreness, will not return to the game on Feb. 19, 2026, and Livers stepped in as the immediate beneficiary of Booker’s absence. Further details about the injury’s severity and any timetable for return have not been released.
