Suns extend qualifying offer to F Oubre

The Phoenix Suns extended a qualifying offer to forward Kelly Oubre Jr. on Wednesday, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported. The move will make the 23-year-old a restricted free agent when NBA free agency opens Sunday, allowing Phoenix the opportunity to match any offer sheet from another team.

Acquired from the Washington Wizards in a December 2018 trade, Oubre averaged 16.9 points and 4.9 rebounds in 40 games (12 starts) with the Suns. After a thumb injury ended his season in mid-March, he told 98.7 FM Arizona's Sports Station that he hoped to return to Phoenix in 2019-20.

"Why would I go anywhere else?" Oubre said. "I'm here. I'm getting established and I'm not a guy that really wants to be on a million teams in my tenure in the league. I just want to a create a dynasty and a legacy here in Phoenix with ... all the guys in the locker room. It's beautiful."