Dragan Bender: Will undergo ankle surgery

The Suns won’t have a concrete timetable for Bender until after the procedure is
completed, but given that the playoffs are still a pipe dream for Phoenix along
with the fact that there’s a little over two months remaining on the schedule,
it would be surprising if the organization rushed the prized lottery pick back
into action. Bender had missed four games to close out January due to the sore
ankle and aggravated the injury in his return to action Feb. 1, missing the
Suns’ subsequent three contests. With Bender likely starting at a multi-week
absence at the very least, Marquese Chriss could be pressed into even more
minutes as the starting power forward, while P.J. Tucker and T.J. Warren could
also see more run at the position.