{"id":324001,"date":"2025-10-06T04:20:11","date_gmt":"2025-10-06T04:20:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/324001\/"},"modified":"2025-10-06T04:20:11","modified_gmt":"2025-10-06T04:20:11","slug":"jalen-green-super-close-to-returning-from-injury-as-suns-head-to-china-to-face-nets","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/324001\/","title":{"rendered":"Jalen Green ‘super close’ to returning from injury as Suns head to China to face Nets"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Phoenix Suns<\/a> will head to China on Monday, Oct. 6, for two games against the Brooklyn Nets in Macao with Jalen Green working his way back from a left hamstring strain.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s definitely progressing,\u201d Suns coach Jordan Ott said Oct. 5 about Green\u2019s injury. \u201cIt\u2019s progressing in the right place. With soft tissue, you never know exactly where we\u2019re at, but every day has been better. We\u2019ll continue to reassess in China.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Green didn’t play in the preseason opener on Friday, Oct. 3, against the Los Angeles Lakers<\/a> in Palm Desert, but got in a pregame workout of dribbling, shooting and movement.<\/p>\n

The former Houston Rockets guard played in all 82 regular-season games the past two seasons. The Suns landed Green in the Kevin Durant trade before the 2025 draft.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think he\u2019s super close (to returning),\u201d Suns guard Jared Butler said Oct. 5.<\/p>\n

The Suns leave Phoenix for what they say will be a 17-hour, 7,500-mile flight to China for a weeklong stay that ends with two games in three days \u2014 Oct. 10 and Oct. 12 \u2014 versus the Nets.<\/p>\n

\u201cGet out of the states,” Suns star Devin Booker said Oct. 3. \u201cLong flight together, so we’re going to get some good team bonding. Some quality time. Take this show on the road.\u201d<\/p>\n

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The Suns have an extensive plan for the flight that considers the 15-hour time differential, as Macao is ahead in time to Phoenix.<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause there is such a time change and it\u2019s weird, the team and our health and performance staff have put together a cool schedule of food timing, sleep timing,\u201d Suns guard Grayson Allen said. \u201cWhen to sleep during the flight. When you force yourself to be awake so that we can try to adjust a little bit easier. I think we have designated lights on, lights off times.\u201d<\/p>\n

Phoenix won its preseason opener, 103-81, over the Lakers, who were without LeBron James and Luka Doncic. Booker scored 24 points while Allen and Dillon Brooks shot a combined 6-of-10 from 3 in scoring 13 and 10 points, respectively.<\/p>\n

\u201cI liked the way we played,\u201d Booker said. \u201cA lot of carryover from training camp. It’s nice to see it versus another team.<\/p>\n

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Butler added 12 off the bench.<\/p>\n

\u201cGuys were setting me up well,\u201d said Butler, who is on a non-guaranteed Exhibit 9 contract with the Suns. \u201cI felt like our offense had a good continuity.\u201d<\/p>\n

New Suns big Mark Williams and Green, two projected starters, didn\u2019t play Friday, but Booker has built chemistry with his new backcourt mate during camp.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s been on a few heaters in camp,\u201d Booker said about Green. \u201cHe didn\u2019t miss many shots. Anything for us surrounding him to make it easier, to allow us both to be more efficient and being able to score and at the same time create for others.\u201d<\/p>\n

Williams has participated in all facets of camp outside of live 5-on-5. The Suns have had him on an intentional plan since July 1 with a major focus on building strength, particularly his lower body.<\/p>\n

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\u201cWeight room, everything with the team, install plays, defensive drills, all that,\u201d Williams said on Oct. 3. \u201cI\u2019m in a good place. They have a plan in place for me to be ready for opening night. Just doing everything in my power to be able to endure a full season, so I\u2019m excited for that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Williams added that he\u2019s \u201cplaying opening night,\u201d when the Suns begin the 2025-26 season Oct. 22 against the Sacramento Kings<\/a> at Mortgage Matchup Center.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll be ready for that,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s still unclear whether Williams will see any preseason action.<\/p>\n

With the Suns playing their final preseason game Oct. 14 at home against the Lakers after flying back from China the day before, Williams likely won\u2019t play in that rematch.<\/p>\n

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It appears the window for him to play this preseason will be in China against the Nets.<\/p>\n

\u201cDay-by-day, he\u2019s out here working,\u201d Ott said. \u201cIn a good place. The same thing. He\u2019s in all of our drills. It\u2019ll be the same piece. We\u2019ll see what happens in China. We are in China for a long time. Things could change, but he\u2019s still right on the plan.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: New Suns guard Jalen Green ‘super close’ to returning from injury<\/a><\/p>\n