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.
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.
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.