After missing the Phoenix Suns’ first eight games, Jalen Green finally made his debut with his new team.

It couldn’t have gone better for the 23-year-old guard. He scored a game-high 29 points on 10-of-20 field-goal shooting in just 23 minutes to help the Suns beat the short-handed Los Angeles Clippers, 115–102. Green showed no signs of rust, attacking the Clippers’ defense throughout the night. He added six three-pointers, three rebounds, three assists, and two steals to cap off an impressive first game.

Phoenix badly needs Green to support Devin Booker on offense, as they are the only Suns who can reliably create their own shot. In their first game together, Green and Booker were mostly stationed on opposite sides of the floor, keeping the defense honest and preventing overloads, which allowed both to relentlessly attack the weak side. Booker had a strong performance too, finishing with 24 points, six rebounds, seven assists, and three steals.

As the season progresses, head coach Jordan Ott should run more two-man actions involving Green and Booker, making Phoenix’s middling offense more potent.

Questions about the 6’4 Green’s fit followed after he was brought in to the Suns as part of last July’s Kevin Durant trade, but what was overlooked by critics was Booker’s growth. He has evolved into a capable primary playmaker, averaging seven assists per game since the start of the 2023–24 season. Green and Booker should be able to coexist in Phoenix’s backcourt and the former should thrive off the latter’s gravity. If this debut is any indication of what’s to come, the team’s system already suits Green well.

Green has already established himself as an NBA-level scoring threat after his first four seasons in the league with the Houston Rockets, averaging 20.1 points across 307 games. His first postseason was rough though—13.3 points on 37.2% field goal shooting in a seven-game loss to Golden State—which likely factored into Houston’s decision to trade him for the more established Durant.

Now, Green gets a chance at a reset in Phoenix. The Suns may still need moves to rejoin the contender tier, but as currently constructed, should be in the mix for the play-in. This will give Green opportunities to participate in high pressure games, giving him a chance to implement what he has learned from his postseason debut. Ultimately, as Green gains more experience, he should be able to figure out how to translate his regular season brilliance to the playoffs

While one game does not define a season, Green’s debut offered a blueprint for what might work best for Phoenix—Booker operates as the main threat and Green attacks the margins. This duo holds some promise, especially if Green can take some pages out of Booker’s playbook. Booker has evolved into a methodical and precise scorer through the years, something that the explosive Green has yet to integrate into his game.

The path to relevance remains murky for these Suns, but at present, Green is the team’s biggest variable who has enough talent and potential to fast track their road back to contention.