Suns' Jalen Green predicted to be traded to title contender without playing a game

The Phoenix Suns will tell us a lot about how they view a potential rebuild with their next move after the blockbuster Kevin Durant trade to the Rockets.

The key guy to watch is Jalen Green, the top piece that Phoenix received in return from Houston.

Green is an athletic, high-scoring guard, so he's certainly the type of player a team could attempt to build around.

But NBA insider Zach Lowe wrote on X that he thinks Green is only in Phoenix to be traded again.

If the Suns do indeed move Green on to a team with more intent of winning right now, it'll signal a rebuild is coming (and might point toward a Devin Booker deal, too).

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Green seemed to prove in 2025's playoffs that he can't be the best scorer on a title contender. The 2-seed Rockets were knocked out in the first round. Green had one monster game but then multiple games where he didn't even score double digits.

That doesn't mean a team with high-end pieces couldn't view Green as the difference maker in getting them to the promised land.

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Green is still just 23 years old, and he did have a 38-point playoff masterpiece. 

Clearly, this could be spun either way. But the reality is this: If the Suns think they can still win right now, they'll keep him and see how he does with Booker. If the Suns know it's time to rebuild, Green might never actually even put on a Suns uniform.

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