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Phoenix Suns guard Jalen Green talks high school jersey retirement

Phoenix Suns guard Jalen Green described his emotions after his high school jersey retirement and offered an injury update.

The Phoenix Suns are playing it “safe” with Jalen Green’s right hamstring strain that has limited him to just two games in his first season with the team.

“Everything is going in the right direction, but we’re going to play it pretty safe here,” Suns coach Jordan Ott said pregame Dec. 14 before facing Los Angeles Lakers at Mortgage Matchup Center.

“We’ve got to be in the mindset that this is a young athlete that is super valuable. We’re going to take it day-by-day, week-by-week, but he has made really, really good progress.”

Ott added Green has been doing on-court work.

Green missed his 16th straight game Sunday, Dec. 14, against the Lakers.

He last played in the first quarter of a Nov. 8 road victory against the Los Angeles Clippers.

The explosive shooting guard played every game in his last two seasons with the Houston Rockets, but has been sidelined for most of his first season in Phoenix.

The Suns acquired Green from Houston in the Kevin Durant trade before the 2025 draft.

Green first injured his hamstring during training camp. He then reinjured it during a weeklong stay in China as the Suns played two preseason games against the Brooklyn Nets.

Green missed the first eight games of the regular season. He scored 29 points in his Suns debut Nov. 6 against the Clippers, hitting six 3s to set a franchise record for most made 3s in a Suns debut.

Phoenix won, 115-102.

The next game, Green reinjured his hamstring in the first quarter against the Clippers as he looked to make a pass off dribble penetration.

Have opinions about the current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at dmrankin@gannett.com or contact him at 480-810-5518. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @DuaneRankin.

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