At long last, we finally got to see Jalen Green in a Phoenix Suns jersey again. It was only the third time it has happened this season, and from where I sit, the early returns lean positive. Yes, it is one
game. Nowhere near a real sample size. But there were moments that sparked excitement, moments that made you slow down and think, and moments that naturally open the door to bigger conversations about what this could become.
The final stat line? 20 minutes played, 12 points on 4-of-11 shooting, 2 rebounds, 3 assists, and a pair of turnovers.
Suns head coach Jordan Ott bringing Jalen Green off the bench in his first game back felt like the right call. He is coming off what was most likely a Grade 3 hamstring injury, and easing him back matters. He needed his legs under him again, because his legs are the superpower. That showed up immediately on Tuesday night.
For everything this Suns team does well, speed is not high on the list. They play at the 20th fastest pace in the league. Jalen Green changes that dynamic. He brings real burst. Watching him blow by defenders and get into the paint felt different, and it mattered. That pressure is going to pay dividends.
What stood out even more was his decision-making. Time and again, he got downhill, drew help, and kicked it out to shooters instead of forcing a look. That can be his secret sauce this season. Collapsing defenses and creating space for everyone else. It is also why I expect Devin Booker’s shooting efficiency to level out. He does not have to fight two defenders every possession anymore.
Green’s handle looked tight. The jumper looked clean. He went 2-of-4 from deep and did not force anything. No rushed threes. No momentum killers. That was a concern coming out of Houston. We did not see it here. And that alone is encouraging.
The other question going into the night was simple: Whose minutes would he take? This is not a fringe rotation guy. This is someone who is going to play real minutes, one of the highest usage players on the roster, and someone the organization needs to evaluate over the rest of the season to truly understand who he is and how he fits. You are not bringing him back to play 20 minutes once a week and call it a day.
My assumption is this will be matchup-driven, with Jordan Ott doing some minute math on the fly. Shaving here. Adjusting there. Collin Gillespie. Jordan Goodwin. Grayson Allen. Those minutes are all going to feel the squeeze at different times.
Last night, though, it was Ryan Dunn. He played fewer than 9 minutes. Want a wild stat? That is the first time all season he has played fewer than 10. The same number of times as his jersey number. 0 before last night.
And it made sense. Philadelphia plays with small, twitchy guards. Dunn struggles there. He bites on first steps. That is not the matchup for him. So Ott countered by sliding Jalen Green into that role off the bench instead. As the season moves along, this is going to be something to watch closely. Whose minutes change, when they change, and why.
I also have to give Green credit for what he did on the defensive end, especially late while guarding Tyrese Maxey. That is not a friendly assignment. Maxey lives on first steps and chaos. If that matchup had fallen to Ryan Dunn, I think we would have seen a couple of clean blow-bys for easy buckets. Green, who is longer than people give him credit for, held his ground. He stayed attached, disrupted the rhythm, and at least made Maxey work for it. Through one game, this did not look like the traffic cone we were warned about.
The only real criticism I have for Green is tied directly to his speed. He can get to the rim almost whenever he wants. Sometimes it feels effortless. The issue is what happens after that. There are moments where he arrives at the cup without a plan.
We saw it late in the game on what I would call his lone untimely shot. The Suns were up 7 with three minutes to play. Green blew past his man and got exactly where he wanted. But once he was there, he did not look ready to finish the shot that presented itself. He rushed it. Threw up something ugly. That is where the opportunity lives. If he can marry the speed with a little more patience and intention at the rim, that is when things really open up.
“You could feel his ability to get downhill to the rim, into the paint. Thought he made a lot of good downhill drives where he finished or tried to find a teammate,” Jordan Ott said after the game. “Just good to have him out there. It’s like his joy is back.”
Zooming out, Ott is correct. It was simply good to have Jalen Green back on the floor. He brings a certain zest. A pulse. He fits what the Suns are trying to build. You could feel it on the bench, the way his teammates reacted to his minutes. They are pulling for him. They want this to work, and they are invested in helping it along.
Now comes the real test. Can we get two straight games of Jalen Green on the court? We will find out on Friday when the Suns face the Hawks.
