The final piece of the NBA offseason’s blockbuster Kevin Durant trade is likely to fall into place for the Phoenix Suns when they host the Los Angeles Clippers Thursday.
Jalen Green, a 23-year-old guard who averaged 20.1 points-per-game through his four-year career with the Houston Rockets, is expected to make his Suns debut Thursday after suffering a right hamstring strain that sidelined him for the Suns’ entire preseason and the first eight games of the regular season.
As part of the trade in the 2025 offseason that sent future hall-of-famer Kevin Durant to Houston, Green was acquired by Phoenix alongside Dillon Brooks and the No. 10 overall pick in the 2025 draft, which the Suns used to select Khaman Maluach.
Though new to the Valley, and despite having not played a game in a Suns uniform, Green said before the season that he has found a new home with the Suns and has already built great relationships – both on and off the court.
“Coming here, I got to know (the team), and I picked up with everybody very fast,” Green said. “Everyone is cool and has the same goals and mentality, so that makes it easy when you’re chasing that same goal with somebody. … From the coaching staff, to the players, to the front office, everyone is just great. The relationships molded fast.”
With Green officially activated for Thursday’s game, he is set to start alongside point guard Devin Booker, where the two are expected to share ball-handling and offensive initiating duties – a role that has been filled largely by Collin Gillespie off the bench so far this season.
“Part of the offense is that we want to play fast,” Suns coach Jordan Ott said. “In order to play fast, you need to have multiple ball handlers.”
In addition to a dual-threat offensive initiation in the Suns backcourt, the Phoenix front office also expects the overall pace of play to increase with Green’s addition to the lineup.
“I think we’ll be really fast,” Suns general manager Brian Gregory said. “The ability to attack and get downhill is something (Green) does exceptionally well. … I think the sky is the limit for him, and I think him and (Booker) being able to man that backcourt together … playing off of each other, I think there’s going to be greater movement, cutting and open opportunities for downhill drives.”
The Suns are 3-5 coming off Tuesday’s loss to the Golden State Warriors, a trend the team hopes to rectify with a healthy Green added to the mix.
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