Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks will be entering the 2025/26 season with a chip on their shoulders as a result of the trade that sent them to the Suns in exchange for Kevin Durant, writes Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic.
“I love the trade. It gives me and Jalen an opportunity,” Brooks said in response to Green asking him about the deal, prompting Green to interject, “Motivation.”
Brooks added that he felt like coming to Phoenix had been a long time in the making — he thought he had been traded to the Suns in his sophomore season, a deal in which the Grizzlies believed they were trading MarShon Brooks.
“I can’t wait to connect with the fans and bring that toughness, bring that urgency, and be ready for the journey,” Brooks said.
Green was candid about how he took being traded from the Rockets, who drafted him No. 2 overall in the 2021 draft.
“It hurts. Houston is home to me and forever will be home to me,” he said. “I started my NBA career there and built a lot there… obviously it was sad to leave, but it’s a business.”
He also expressed optimism about the coming season, and specifically about how he could fit with newly extended Devin Booker.
“We’re two people who are going to be able to accept the double team and play off each other,” Green said. “We’re two people who know how to attract the defense, and everyone’s going to set up around us. So when we’re doing something like that, you’ve got to pick who you want to score tonight. And me and him both, it’s going to be a deadly scoring duo.
Meanwhile, ESPN’s Shams Charania reports that Booker is already hard at work preparing for the upcoming season (Twitter video link).
“I’m told he’s been working out with players on the Suns, the young players on the Suns, over the last week, two weeks,” Charania said. “So he’s fully immersed himself with this team, with Jalen Green, with Dillon Brooks… I think there will be a better feel, they’re hoping, around this team.”
That’s a sentiment that Green echoed, despite knowing that outside expectations for the Suns have declined following a disappointing couple seasons and the departure of Durant.
“The position we’re in, we’re going to surprise a lot of people and make a lot of noise,” Green said.
Aside from Williams and Richards, Suns have absolutely no size whatsoever. Unless they are going to score 120+ a game, they are a bottom 4 team.
Maluach
Only 7’2″
Giddey for Green make it happen Suns.
Giddey Booker Brooks is a nice 1-3 then you have multiple options at centre but limited at the 4.
Giddey gives them size and a ball handler which better suits Booker in the backcourt and would help their big men get buckets around the basket.
Bulls can pair White and Green in the backcourt. 1 is a really solid shooter and the other more of an attack the basket guard. They already have a few intriguing young forwards. Giddey was nice for you guys but Green is the better player and has the higher ceiling.
white and green just makes light green…
Brooks, Maluach,Ighodaro, Hayes, Fleming, Dunn, Huntley ……. All 6’8” or bigger. And their guards are big guards. Once they move on from Beal. They should get another big a 4. Precious is out there. Suns can be a top 10 team. Don’t know if they want to be.
I think Green will have a big year. Not with Beal there.
Phoenix got a lot of size.
Booker, Brooks, Dunn, Ighodaro, Williams. That’s a possible starting 5 that has more or less the same size as Denver.
Green has a decent size for a guard, Maluach is 7’1, Richards 6’11, Fleming is 6’8 with 7’5 wingspan. All those heights are real heights without shoes.
They have good size at that team. Their summer league squad has more size than GS 15-man roster.
I know Booker is a big guard listed at 6’6”. Always thought Green was the same. So I looked him up at his combine measurements. Turns out he is 6’4” with a long reach. Still good size. Had it in my mind he was 6’7”. Now I’m even more impressed with his game. He is due for a break out year. He has to play SG and be left alone there. Thing is that’s Booker best position too. It’s good Suns are moving Beal. Cause then it would just be overkill at SG. I Said at his draft Green could be best of all. Time to start showing that.
Listed heights on NBA website and on basketball-reference are mostly incorrect and inflated by 1-2 inches. Not always, but very often. I just don’t understand how height can be measured in shoes. That’s like measuring weight with pockets full of pebbles.
Anyway, Booker is 6’4, Green about the same. Draft combine measurements are now mandatory for every player, thankfully.
Many folks have already put Green into ‘failure’ and ‘bad-contract’ categories. I don’t think so at all. And thankfully this website has a good portion of people who tend to have measured opinions. He’s still very young and has time to iron out out his game. Going 2nd in that 2021 draft means a lot. Also, his time in Houston did him a lot of good, that was a good spot for him to land. Phoenix should definitely give him chance, moving him on now for low return would be a mistake. The fit in Phoenix looks less than ideal on paper, they will have to figure it out.
Oklahoma didn’t have anyone who can be considered a PG, yet they looked cohesive and didn’t miss a player like that in 24-25.
Not everybody can be OKC, sure, but maybe Phoenix will figure it out.
MLB has minor leagues to get you ready for The Show. Single A, double AA, triple AAA. Yet in basketball. Fans think you are suppose step in at 19 and do something. So by 22 they are already calling you a failure. Just the negative narrative that perpetuates in the NBA. Just look at social media today. I give players till 25 before I get critical. Takes time to become a real player. Even longer to be a starter or star. SGA was traded twice before he got a real chance to develop. Then at 23 in his second year in OKC. Is when he first showed his consistency. Now at 27 yrs old is the MVP.
Not every team will treat you like OKC did SGA.
Then there is the business side and pressure to win. That makes teams give up on young talent like Green.
Look at Kuminga. He has not handled well. Therefore the issues. Not all players develop the same. Or at a teams time table. There is no set formula. It takes time and patience.
Y’all didn’t see Koby Brea?? Best pure shot in the summer league and right now maybe top 5 in the NBA. SG or maybe SF. Bye bye Grayson, hello second coming of Joe Johnson/Rex Chapman/Eddie Johnson at the worst, bigger Steph at the top.
It’s SL relax …. Shooting is one thing that translates to NBA. But you have to able to get your own shot if you want to start. Has good size.