PHOENIX — The Phoenix Suns could be getting a key piece back for tomorrow night’s game against the Memphis Grizzlies following a 1-3 start to the season. 

The Suns upgraded Jalen Green to questionable with a right hamstring strain after he missed the first four games due to the injury which he suffered in the preseason. 

Dillon Brooks (right groin soreness) was listed as out after missing Monday’s 138-134 overtime loss to the Utah Jazz.

Rookies Koby Brea and CJ Huntley are also out on G League assignment.

Green was seen putting in some work at shootaround before the loss to Utah, which led to some optimism about his return and his questionable designation signals a return is near.

For the Grizzlies (2-2), Brandon Clarke (right knee surgery), Zach Edey (left ankle surgery), Ty Jerome (right calf strain) and Scotty Pippen Jr. (left toe surgery) are all out, while Santi Aldama (left shoulder soreness) and Vince Williams Jr. (right ankle impingement) are questionable.

The Suns have missed Green’s offensive ability, as he was supposed to be a big key to their offense after Phoenix acquired him as part of the return in the Kevin Durant trade to the Houston Rockets this summer. 

Devin Booker has struggled so far as a facilitator without a ball handler next to him, averaging 5.0 turnovers per game although he did have a 34-point, 10-assist double-double with only two turnovers in the loss to the Jazz. 

“I’m excited to play Book. I think it’s gonna be a good situation,” Green said at media day last month. “I think I’m gonna be able to learn a lot from him while at the same time adding what I can bring to the table. I think we’re gonna complement each other a lot, especially with the system that Ott’s got us playing in.

“I think we gonna be playing fast, and I think we gonna be creating a lot for each other and create for others. So I’m very excited about it, and I think we gonna shock a lot of people too.”

Grayson Allen has gotten the start in place of Green the first four games.

As for Brooks, he injured himself in Saturday’s loss to the Denver Nuggets and his absence was felt in the loss to Utah, as he has been an integral piece of bringing a new level of effort and intensity to the Suns.

Brooks has had to be the secondary scorer next to Booker with Green out and is averaging a career-high 19.3 points per game, while leading the team in field goal attempts (19.7 per game) and 3-point attempts (10.3 per game), which has led to a career-worst 37.3% field goal percentage.

Defensively, Brooks is averaging a career-best 2.7 steals per game.

“He comes with that spirit every night,” Booker said of Brooks after last Friday’s loss to the Los Angeles Clippers (via The Arizona Republic’s Duane Rankin). “That sets the tone for us. We feed off that energy. He’s gonna bring it every night, it’s not a gimmick.

“I’ve played against him and he’s always had that same energy, so we’re going to rally behind that.”

Royce O’Neale got the start for Brooks against Utah and tallied 17 points, 13 rebounds, seven assists and five steals.

The Suns not being whole has played a big part in them facing huge first-half deficits in every game so far, and they could elect to make another change to the starting lineup soon by moving Mark Williams to center in place of Oso Ighodaro as Williams has been on a minutes restriction so far, but did play 31 minutes against the Jazz, recording 25 points and 11 rebounds.

If Green is back tomorrow, he could answer a lot of problems the Suns have faced through the first four games.

Wednesday’s game against Memphis is slated to tip off shortly after 7:00 p.m. Arizona time.