Expectations are low for the new-look Suns next season, but Jalen Green believes looks can be deceiving. Speaking in a recent chat with the media, the young two-way guard opened up on the trade that sent him to Phoenix and offered an optimistic perspective on his developing situation.
“Yeah, I had a feeling. They’ve been trying to trade me since last year,” Green told the Houston Chronicle. “I’m not tripping. It’s for the better of the team. I know it’s a business at the end of the day. I really can’t handle how I feel. Whatever happens, happens. At the end of the day, I still got the opportunity to play basketball.”
Green, 23, spent the past four seasons with the Houston Rockets, where he developed into one of the best two-way wing players in the league. But now, he gets to start fresh with a clean slate alongside Devin Booker on a team with minimal expectations.
“I feel good. I’m excited,” Green said about playing with Booker. “I think it’s gonna be lit. I bet he’s gon’ kill. We gon’ shock the world.”
Green has yet to make an All-Star team, but he wasn’t far off last season, averaging 21.0 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game on 42.3% shooting. He helped the Rockets to the second seed in the West on a career-high 32.9 minutes per game.
Green remained poised through years of trade rumors, embracing the reality of the business. Now, in Phoenix, he’ll have the time and space to maximize his potential, and the leadership of Devin Booker could help push him to new heights.
As a young and athletic wing, Green brings a lot to the table, making him a promising cornerstone for the franchise’s next chapter. With Kevin Durant gone, Bradley Beal likely on the way out, and a brand new coach on the sidelines (Jordan Ott), nobody knows what to expect from the Suns next season.
While there is some doubt that Green and Booker can co-exist as scorers, the partnership is ultimately a high-upside gamble that has the potential to surprise a lot of people.
We already know that Jalen can deliver at an elite level in the NBA. He clearly has the talent and the confidence, but he needs to show the consistency that will earn him a place at the top of the hierarchy. At least now, he’ll have the opportunity to develop in a winning culture with a defined role alongside a young superstar.
For the Suns, this might be the start of a rebuild or the beginning of something unexpected. And for Jalen Green, it’s a chance to rewrite his story on a bigger stage. With a chip on his shoulder and Booker by his side, he’s betting big on himself—and if he delivers, Phoenix might just be the team nobody saw coming.
