P.J. Tucker is one of the better enforcers in the league.

The 6-foot-6 swingman has been known as a tough-as-nail guy who loves to play old-school brand of physical basketball.

But the Phoenix Suns forward will be forced to take a step back for a significant amount of time after undergoing back surgery, per Paul Coro of AZCentral.com.

Suns forward P.J. Tucker will miss training camp, preseason and likely the early parts of the regular season after undergoing a low back microsectomy procedure Thursday.

Valley spine specialist Dr. Dennis Crandall performed the surgery, which typically addresses a herniated lumbar disk and relieves nerve pressure. The team's announcement did not give specifics beyond stating Tucker would be out six to eight weeks. That puts a return to basketball activity either immediately after the Suns' Oct. 26 regular-season opener or closer to Nov. 10 after eight Suns games.

Last season, Tucker played in all 82 games and averaged 8.0 points, 6.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.3 steals per night. He is capable of producing big numbers across the board, but needs to be more consistent.

Phoenix will now rely on veteran Jared Dudley and youngster T.J. Warren to fill in the vaccum at the small forward spot for the time being.