Jalen Green
Green is a starting guard next to Devin Booker in Phoenix, but he has played only 2 games this season and has not yet shown a stable role or efficiency.
Role
Green started both games so far, the Oct. 22 opener at Portland and the Oct. 24 home win over Golden State (SI.com, Oct. 25). The starting five was Green, Booker, Dillon Brooks, Miles Bridges and Khaman Maluach, with Oso Ighodaro and Mark Williams ruled out for the Golden State game. He played 25 minutes against Portland (10 points on 4-12 shooting) and 26 against Golden State (12 points on 5-10), per ESPN and NBA.com. Backups listed in preseason coverage were Collin Gillespie, Luke Kennard (out with a knee injury per Yahoo, Oct. 22), Jordan Goodwin and Ryan Dunn. Coach Jordan Ott said he does not want to change the starters game to game. The wire report says Green (rest) sits Wednesday against the Spurs. I did not find whether that game is a back-to-back or whether this is a recurring rest plan. Last season's line shows only 2 games and 102 minutes, so there is no useful usage baseline.
He is a high-usage, athletic scorer who started both games. Preseason coverage had the Green, Booker, Brooks and Bridges group showing chemistry. FantasySP's outlook calls him a starting scoring option with solid baseline minutes. He also looked good in a preseason game against the Spurs, with 18 points (NBA.com video listing).
The roster has overlapping skills and little playmaking beyond Booker, and Green has been inefficient in two games. Sports media earlier this year argued the Suns could not afford to start Booker and Green together, and Bright Side of the Sun noted poor shooting in his starts last season. Those pieces are older than this season, so treat them as background. He has also had recurring hamstring trouble, and the Wednesday rest day adds to the missed-time worry.
Where analysts split
Whether Green keeps the starting job and heavy usage next to Booker or moves to the bench if the starting unit keeps struggling. The Suns opened with a blowout loss at Portland, and the older columns arguing for a bench role predate this season. I found no current beat-writer report that he is losing the job. The starting center spot (Maluach or Ighodaro) is also still unsettled and could shuffle the lineup around him.
Research confidence: reported. Outlooks are grounded in web search over current reporting and refreshed through the season.
Others at SG
Fantasy Memo reads your league and answers that every Monday, and checks your lineup on the days you play.
Connect your league: 14 days free