Devin Booker and Jalen Green Return for Suns in Timely Boost vs. 76ers
PHOENIX - For the first time in over two weeks, the Phoenix Suns will have both Devin Booker and Jalen Green back in uniform - and not a moment too soon.
Head coach Jordan Ott confirmed ahead of tonight’s matchup with the Philadelphia 76ers that both guards are available to play. Booker has been sidelined with an ankle sprain, while Green has been nursing a hip contusion. Their return brings a much-needed jolt to a Suns team that’s been walking a tightrope with its depth.
The timing couldn’t be better. In Thursday’s loss to the Golden State Warriors, the Suns took another hit when Grayson Allen and Isaiah Livers both went down with injuries. Ott has already ruled them out through the All-Star break, leaving Phoenix thin in the backcourt - at least until now.
While players like Dillon Brooks have stepped up in the absence of key contributors, there’s no replacing the kind of gravity Booker and Green bring to the floor. Even when they’re not touching the ball, defenses are forced to account for them. That kind of attention opens up the floor for everyone else - and in a system like Phoenix’s, which relies heavily on spacing and ball movement, that’s invaluable.
The Suns held their own in January, going 11-5 despite missing one or both of their dynamic guards for large stretches. But let’s be clear: they’re a different team when Booker and Green are healthy.
Their shot-making, athleticism, and ability to create off the dribble can completely shift the rhythm of a game. Whether it’s collapsing a defense with a drive or hitting a contested jumper late in the shot clock, they give Phoenix options that simply aren’t there otherwise.
What’s especially intriguing is how Ott might deploy them. Both have shown they can thrive with the second unit, giving the Suns flexibility in their rotations.
Will they be staggered to balance the offense across quarters? Or will we see stretches where they share the floor and look to overwhelm opposing backcourts with speed and skill?
Ott has options now - and that’s a luxury he hasn’t had in weeks.
Tonight’s opponent, a banged-up 76ers squad, could be the perfect stage for Booker and Green to ease back in. But there are still a few hurdles left to clear. Both players will go through their pregame routines before receiving final clearance, and they’re expected to be on minutes restrictions - though that could shift depending on how the game unfolds.
Bottom line: the Suns are getting two of their most impactful players back, and that changes the equation. With Booker and Green available, Phoenix isn’t just deeper - they’re more dangerous.