The vibe around the Suns feels right again, like the pieces are finally starting to click, but not everything’s rolling their way. The health of Jalen Green is uncertain, and as the primary return in the Kevin
Durant trade, he is someone the Suns are hoping gets better.
The guy came into the season as a model of consistency, never missing a game in over two and a half years, then that right hamstring gave out on him before things even got started. It flared up overseas while the team was in China, scrimmaging the Nets in what was supposed to be a tune-up, not a setback.
He got back on the floor against the Clippers last week and looked electric, dropping 29 points in 23 minutes. For a brief moment, it felt like the tide had turned. But six minutes into Saturday’s game, the pain hit again. You could see it in his stride, the way he limped off the court, his body saying what his face didn’t have to.
Now we’ve got clarity, or at least the NBA version of it. According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, he’ll be reevaluated in four to six weeks.
That phrase — “reevaluated” — has become a quiet curse around here. Booker’s had his own battles with hamstrings, and everyone knows what it really means. Four to six weeks is the optimistic headline. The reality usually stretches longer.
Arizona Sports’ John Gambadoro hinted at this earlier in the week before the national outlets picked it up, and it tracks.
Green’s game is built on burst, that instant acceleration that separates him from the crowd. You can’t fake that, and you can’t rush it. He’s got to give his body time, real time, to mend. If history’s any indicator, we might not see him again until January.
Until then, it’s on the rest of the roster to keep the train rolling while Green fights through the slow burn of recovery.
