The Phoenix Suns bad luck rolls on: Cam Johnson has mono

MADISON, NEW JERSEY - AUGUST 11: Cameron Johnson of the Phoenix Suns poses for a portrait during the 2019 NBA Rookie Photo Shoot on August 11, 2019 at the Ferguson Recreation Center in Madison, New Jersey. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
MADISON, NEW JERSEY - AUGUST 11: Cameron Johnson of the Phoenix Suns poses for a portrait during the 2019 NBA Rookie Photo Shoot on August 11, 2019 at the Ferguson Recreation Center in Madison, New Jersey. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

The Phoenix Suns’ run of horrible luck continues, this time with the news that their sharp-shooting rookie, Cam Johnson, has been diagnosed with mononucleosis.

If you’re a Phoenix Suns player, coach, or random overpriced hotdog vendor, it is probably best you don’t buy a lottery ticket. Most everyone associated with the franchise this season is plagued with the most unfortunate ailment known to man: bad luck.

The latest rendition of Suns misfortune has come in the way of the illness diagnosis for Cameron Johnson. The rookie, who just turned 24 years old, has acquired mononucleosis.

Yeah. Mono.

That disease your friend had in high school that caused him to stay home for a month, only to be subsequently ridiculed for coming down with the “kissing disease.”

With all the buzz swirling around the novel coronavirus, it appears it is actually old school virus that has penetrated the Suns’ locker room.

Mono is tough because it can really knock you out for a while. The Suns report he will be re-evaluated in two weeks, so it is unlikely we will hear any more news until then. During this time, it is also unlikely he will be able to do much with the team at all.

While the virus is primarily transmitted via saliva and not as contagious as many other diseases, there is no use taking a risk that Devin Booker or Aron Baynes will accidentally drink out of the same Gatorade bottle.

The news comes off Johnson’s best game of his young career when he put up 21 points on his 24th birthday against the Toronto Raptors. Let’s hope his post game celebration was not the origin of all this.

In light of the horrible news of Kelly Oubre‘s mysterious meniscus injury that will likely sideline him for the season, I wrote if it wasn’t for bad luck, the Phoenix Suns wouldn’t have any luck at all. That continues to be the case, even as the Suns find themselves suddenly playing extremely well despite almost certainly being out of the playoff race.

It seems so long ago that the fans’ decree of Deandre Ayton‘s 25-game suspension as being evidence of the Suns’ horrible luck. Since then, nearly every player has taken a turn on the, “Wait, he’s out for what?” carousel.

Speaking of that carousel, Deandre Ayton is listed as questionable against the Portland Trailblazers Tuesday night as he recovers from an ankle injury and Frank Kaminsky continues to be out indefinitely while he recovers from a patella stress fracture.

Let’s hope the Phoenix Suns keep a hot shooting hand despite their otherwise horrid luck.

For more information about COVID-19, visit the CDC’s website or the website for your state’s Department of Health.