The Phoenix Suns have shared the potential timeline of recovery for Jalen Green, who is dealing with a hamstring injury since training camp. Green was acquired by the Suns from the Houston Rockets as part of the Kevin Durant trade this past offseason.
The former No. 2 pick missed the entire preseason after suffering a low-grade hamstring strain in training camp. He was targeting a return for the season opener on October 22, but he re-aggravated the injury during the Suns’ trip to China.
According to AZ Central’s Duane Rankin, Suns coach Jordan Ott has ruled Green out for their games against the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday and the Denver Nuggets on Saturday. However, Green wasn’t ruled out for Monday’s game versus the Utah Jazz, which is the end of their three-game road trip.
Rankin added that Green is with the team for the road trip, making it possible for the explosive guard to make his Suns debut on October 27 in Salt Lake City. Grayson Allen started in his place for their first game of the season against the Sacramento Kings.
The Suns were down big early before making a spectacular comeback in the third quarter and ultimately getting the 120-116 win. Devin Booker led the way with 31 points, five rebounds and three assists, while Dillon Brooks had 29 points in his first game for his new team.
Green’s 186-Game Streak Snapped
Before missing his first game for the Phoenix Suns, Jalen Green had a 186-game streak that made him one of the most durable players in the NBA. Green has suited up for all 82 games in two straight seasons and has only missed six games in the past years, as per CBS Sports.
While it was a tough blow for Green and the Suns, he got lucky because the injury was diagnosed as a low-grade hamstring strain. He was coming off another solid campaign for the Houston Rockets last season, averaging 21.0 points, 4.6 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game.
The Rockets finished second in the Western Conference, but they were eliminated by the Golden State Warriors in the first round. There were questions about Green’s status as a top scoring option, which eventually led to Houston’s decision to trade him, Dillon Brooks and the No. 10 pick from the 2025 NBA draft, Khaman Maluach.
It then became a historic seven-team trade that completed other sign-and-trade deals, involving the Golden State Warriors, Atlanta Hawks, Los Angeles Lakers, Minnesota Timberwolves and Brooklyn Nets, as confirmed by NBA.com.
Devin Booker Embraces Jalen Green in Phoenix
After owner Mat Ishbia went all in on acquiring Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal, the Phoenix Suns decided to focus on developing their culture. Durant was traded and Beal was waived, while Devin Booker was retained as the main pillar of the franchise.
Booker believes Jalen Green is perfect for the Suns, telling reporters during training camp how he’s starting to get to know his new teammate. He liked his instincts and was looking forward to playing with the high-flying scorer.
“Obviously, a high-talent, high athleticism, and he’s a player. He has the instincts and intangibles that you can’t teach. So we’re gonna do a good job figuring out how to play off of each other, and we don’t wanna take away from any of each other,” Booker said, via Talk Basket.
In addition to Green and Dillon Brooks, the Suns also acquired center Mark Williams from the Charlotte Hornets. They even gave Booker a two-year, $145 million extension.
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