The Suns’ 127-120 loss to the Nuggets on Friday night in the Emirates NBA Cup did little to settle the question around Jalen Green’s role in Phoenix. Before the game, head coach Jordan Ott said Green would remain a lead playmaker, and the guard responded with two points and as many assists in the defeat. That kind of night only tightens the pressure on a starting spot he is now barely holding onto alongside Devin Booker.
It is not easy to pull a former second overall pick making over $30 million this season out of the starting five, but the case for a change is hard to ignore. Green’s performance against Denver did not help his cause, and while Collin Gillespie backed him afterward by saying, "we've got a lot of confidence in JG", the production simply has not matched the opportunity.
Phoenix has bigger problems than one lineup decision, but Green is part of the mess. Miles Bridges at least supplied offense from the forward spot in the loss, yet the Suns continue to be a team that cannot get enough stops. They are allowing the most points in the league so far this season, and the overlap in skill sets across the rotation is not helping them clean that up.
Moving Green to the bench would not just be a punishment; it could be the kind of reshuffle that gives the Suns more balance. It would let Booker play next to a true floor general, while also keeping both Booker and Green in scoring roles when they are on the floor. That kind of split could help stabilize both units and, in theory, keep Phoenix from sliding further as the league’s worst defensive team.
If Green does lose the job, Collin Gillespie deserves the chance to step into it. He has gone from a two-way afterthought to a player earning a $48 million deal to return to Phoenix, and he already fits well next to Booker.
Yes, his size can be an issue on defense too, but that is not exactly a new problem for this group. Jordan Goodwin has also been mentioned as a possible short-term answer at point guard, but the argument here is that the Suns should act now.
They may give Green another couple of games to save his spot, yet this looks like a move they are headed toward anyway.
In Other News...
Suns Still Have The Same Problem But This Loss Felt Different
The Suns keep saying the emphasis is on defense, but the early returns have been hard to ignore. In their NBA Cup opener against Denver, Phoenix fell 127-120 and gave up a season-high point total, a familiar issue for a team that has spent the first stretch of the season trying to dig itself out of the leagues basement on that end of the floor.
What made this one feel a little different was the way Phoenix stayed in the game offensively and still came up short. Miles Bridges posted 24 points and 10 rebounds, but Jamal Murrays 39-point night kept Denver in control when it mattered most, leaving the Suns at 1-3 and still searching for a defensive answer that has yet to show up. [Read more 🡒]
Suns Rotation Squeeze Is Putting Jamaree Bouyea In A Tough Spot
Jamaree Bouyea was a useful piece for the Suns last season, getting into 46 games and carving out a role with his defense. This year, though, the path has narrowed fast. Phoenixs rotation has tightened as head coach Jordan Ott tries to sort through a defense that has been a problem, and Bouyea has only gotten into two games so far, with his minutes kept to a minimum.
The squeeze could ease if the Suns make a change on the perimeter, and Jalen Green is the name to watch there. If Green ends up moving to the bench, Bouyea would have a better chance to work his way back into the mix. For now, though, his situation is a reminder of how quickly a dependable depth option can get pushed to the edge when a team is still searching for answers. [Read more 🡒]
Kevin Durant Is Making The Suns' Early Problem Look Even Worse
Kevin Durants move to Houston has done more than change the Rockets ceiling. It has also sharpened the contrast with the Suns, who are already dealing with an early-season defensive mess while watching their former star fit into a team that looks far more organized around him. Houston has paired Durant with Alperen Sengun, Amen Thompson, Reed Sheppard and Fred VanVleet, and the result has been a fast start that puts the Rockets near the top of the league in scoring while giving them a defense that has held up far better than Phoenixs.
For the Suns, the bigger issue is not just losing Durant. It is that the same roster questions that have hung over them are still there, especially the search for a true point guard to complement Devin Booker. Houston solved that problem with VanVleet, and the difference is showing up in the standings and in the way the two teams are being discussed this early in the season. Phoenix still has time to steady itself, but the gap between what the Rockets have built and what the Suns are missing is already hard to ignore. [Read more 🡒]