Phoenix Suns general manager James Jones has shared the statement below regarding the departure of Suns Senior Vice President, Athlete Health & Performance and long-time Head Athletic Trainer, Aaron Nelson. Nelson’s oversight included the prevention, treatment and rehabilitation of injuries, along with the performance-based efforts of the team.

“We are extremely thankful to Aaron for his contributions to the Phoenix Suns over the last 26 years, including the care he provided to hundreds of Suns players along the way,” said Jones. “We are excited for Aaron as he pursues the next step in his career and wish Aaron, Jessica and their family nothing but the best.”

The Suns are undergoing a complete evaluation of their basketball operations, including working with world-class healthcare provider, Steward, as well as human performance company, EXOS, on the team’s medical and performance efforts.

The team is leveraging its partnership with Steward, including its national network of physicians and specialists, to add depth and experience to the club’s medical operations this offseason. The Steward team includes experts in primary care sports medicine, orthopedic surgery, physical therapy, athletic training, sports psychology, and more, which the Suns will utilize to advance the team’s efforts.

In addition, the Suns are partnering with EXOS on a new collaboration that will support an expansion of the team’s efforts in the sustainable high performance space. Headquartered in Phoenix and renowned globally for helping athletes unlock potential while reducing injuries, EXOS builds customized player performance programs and provides the tools and resources to ensure teams have useful data, insights and expert guidance. More details will be announced in the near future.