Suns' P.J. Tucker: Participates in three-on-three work Monday

Tucker (back) participated in some three-on-three work during Monday's practice, Paul Coro of The Arizona Republic reports.

Analysis:

Tucker has slowly increased his on-court activities in recent weeks, and while he seems to be progressing ahead of schedule, the Suns have yet to clear him for five-on-five, full-court scrimmaging. While it once looked uncertain if Tucker would be back for the Oct. 26 regular-season opener, the fact that he's already taking some contact offers some optimism that he might be available when the season begins. T.J. Warren still appears set to open the year as the Suns' starting small forward, but once Tucker has regained conditioning and isn't facing any restrictions, he could challenge for the top spot on the depth chart.