Polarizing Phoenix Suns guard Jalen Green‘s career has been a roller coaster.
Jalen Green’s First Career First With Suns Isn’t Ideal
When the Houston Rockets drafted Green second overall, there was an expectation that he would launch himself into star conversations sooner rather than later. Instead, he ran hot and cold, the variance in his performances borderline extreme. Even after he took necessary steps to improve his non-scoring contributions, his streaky shooting was a glaring problem. This is in large part why the Rockets wanted to swap Green for Kevin Durant, one of the most consistent scorers in the NBA.
For Phoenix, the trade was largely about getting younger, as evidenced by them targeting players like Miami Heat center Kel’el Ware and Rockets teammates Reed Sheppard and Jabari Smith Jr. in their negotiations. The Suns also wanted “to preach toughness and grit moving forward,” per ESPN’s Shams Charania. Dillon Brooks, who they acquired in their deal for Durant, certainly embodies those ideals. He’s an assertive defender who refuses to back down from a challenge.
However, Green’s pretty gritty himself.
Not only did he accept Rockets head coach Ime Udoka’s tough coaching, becoming more physical on defense and on the glass during the most trying stretch of his career, he’s all but refused to miss a game. In fact, over the past three seasons, Green’s only been sidelined for six games. He played all 82 regular season games in 2023-24 and 2024-25 (he also suited up in all seven of their playoff games in 2024-25).
Soft Tissue Injuries Are Tricky
Prior to Phoenix’s preseason battle against the Los Angeles Lakers, Suns head coach Jordan Ott provided an update on Green.
Two weeks ago, Ott revealed that the 23-year-old sustained a “low-grade hamstring strain” (h/t The Arizona Republic reporter Duane Rankin). He was expected to recover from in time to be ready for their 2025-26 season opener against the Sacramento Kings on Oct. 22.
On Oct. 5, Suns guard Jared Butler said Green was “super close” to returning. Now, it appears that he has no choice but to miss that game after re-aggravating his injury. Green will be re-evaluated in 10 days, taking him right out of that window (h/t ESPN). With Ott acknowledging the tricky nature of soft tissue injuries, he’s probably not shocked. Nevertheless, Green’s first career first in Phoenix isn’t ideal.
With career averages of 20.1 points and 3.4 assists per game, Green was projected to start for the Suns. Though he’s not a natural point guard, he’s a developing playmaker whose athleticism is unmatched by any of his teammates. In theory, he’d have been able to take a lot of pressure off of Devin Booker, an elite scorer who’ll receive most of their opponent’s defensive attention. Without that release valve available, Booker and Brooks have to step up offensively.
Yet, that may not be enough.
Jared Butler, X-Factor?
Booker, who averaged 25.6 points per game last season, set his career-high of 27.8 points per game in 2022-23. Brooks, who averaged 14.0 points per game last season, set his career-high of 18.4 points per game in 2021-22. That means that if they were scoring at their highest rate, it’d be a +6.6 point per game difference. So, even if they could form a great 1-2 punch, they wouldn’t cover what Green provides offensively.
Jared Butler once again finding his way to attack the basket and really command as this playmaker for this team tonight with some great lob throws, passes in transition and finding the open man in the corner
25 points and 7 seven assists so far and I don’t see him slowing down
— BruceVeliz (@BruceVeliz) October 15, 2025
To do that, Butler would have to play as well in the regular season as he’s been in the 2025-26 preseason. It’s possible, as he averaged 11.5 points and 4.9 assists per game for the Philadelphia 76ers in 2024-25. He even posted 14.3 points and 5.6 assists per game in the final month of the season. An astute and deceptively crafty guard, Butler lacks Green’s athleticism but can still help the offense.
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