Jalen

Green

Green will sit out Sunday’s game after being pulled from Friday’s loss to the Hawks for injury management reasons. With Devin Booker (ankle) also out, the Suns will have to rely even more on Collin Gillespie, Grayson Allen and Jordan Goodwin.

Green was pulled from Friday’s loss to the Hawks for precautionary reasons, and his official injury is “right hamstring injury management.” That’s good news for the Suns’ guard, who played two games before aggravating the initial strain during a game in early November. With Devin Booker (ankle) out, the Suns will need more production from Grayson Allen, Collin Gillespie and Jordan Goodwin.

The Suns are calling it “precautionary right hamstring tightness,” so hopefully this doesn’t end up being another long-term absence for him. He only played four minutes in the first half. His absence should open up minutes for Grayson Allen and Jordan Goodwin.

Appearing in a game for the first time since November 8, Green was under a minutes restriction on Tuesday. He played 20 minutes and provided decent production in that role. Given the time missed, fantasy managers should not expect to see Green playing starters’ minutes anytime soon. Collin Gillespie remained in the starting lineup, finishing with 12 points, four rebounds, four assists and three three-pointers in 28 minutes. He’s worth holding onto as Green works his way back into the fold, but Gillespie’s playing time will take a hit.

An afterthought in most fantasy circles before the season began, Gillespie continues to surprise many. The Suns guard had another excellent night on Monday, shooting 70 percent from the field and recording a complete stat line. However, there may be an issue on the horizon for Gillespie managers. Jalen Green (hamstring) is expected to return on Tuesday in Philadelphia, and some of his minutes may come at Gillespie’s expense once he’s playing without any restrictions. Gillespie managers don’t need to panic, but that is something to watch.

Suns coach Jordan Ott said that he wanted to give Green an extra day of rest since he knew he wouldn’t play both legs of the back-to-back. Green will likely have his minutes limited, which means he could come off the bench in his first game back. However, he will suit up, which means Collin Gillespie is likely getting closer to heading back to the bench, while Grayson Allen and Jordan Goodwin will lose out on some minutes.

Green will miss at least one more game as he continues to work his way back from a strained hamstring. Collin Gillespie will remain in the starting lineup until the Suns are back at full strength.

Green played some 5-on-5 on Saturday, the third time he’s done so since being cleared to begin the ramp-up process. If he plays on Monday, it’s likely safe to assume that Green will not play on Tuesday against the 76ers. His presence in the rotation will affect Collin Gillespie, who has filled in admirably as part of the starting lineup.

Green has not appeared in a game since November 9, but that could change very soon. Saturday’s 5-on-5 session was the guard’s third since beginning the ramp-up process two weeks ago. Given the time that Green has missed, his playing time will likely be limited in his first few games back.

One reason to consider streaming O’Neale while the Suns are without Jalen Green is the three-point production, and he came through on Friday. The veteran forward hit four of his six attempts against the Knicks while also offering solid value in the rebound category. The lingering questions are: how much longer will Green, who began his ramp-up process, be sidelined by his hamstring injury? And, will the Suns continue to bring Grayson Allen (10/3/1/1 in 26 minutes) off the bench? The answers will have a direct impact on O’Neale’s fantasy value.