The Suns will not host their annual outdoor preseason game in Indian Wells this year, but "don't blame it on the lockout," according to Leighton Ginn of the Palm Springs DESERT SUN. Suns President & CEO Rick Welts said that the organization "decided to remove the annual outdoor game for a year to evaluate what their plans are for the preseason exhibition games." With the Suns already playing "two 'home' preseason games outside their home state," including one in Vancouver, Welts said that "staging the events were taxing to their staff." In addition, Welts said that the Suns "want to look at other exhibition opportunities, including a trip overseas." Still, Indian Wells Mayor Patrick Mullany "was skeptical about the lockout having no factor." Mullany: "The lockout has got to have something to do with it. But I do have to say, there were some rumblings that it would not come back." But Welts reiterated that the NBA lockout "was not a factor." He said, "We don't want anyone reading into this, other than we wanted to take a year off" (Palm Springs DESERT SUN, 8/23).
