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When Will Jalen Green Return?
Jalen Green is aiming to return before the end of December 2025, with insiders pointing to the Suns’ final road trip of the year as his likely comeback. That trip includes games at New Orleans, Washington, and Cleveland from December 26 through December 31, and multiple reports have mentioned those specific dates as his target rather than just a generic “after Christmas” line. Kelly Iko (@KellyIko) reported on X that Suns guard Jalen Green is targeting a return from a right hamstring strain later this month.
Two key voices have shaped expectations: John Gambadoro initially said Green was expected back sometime after Christmas, framing it as a short‑term absence rather than a months‑long situation.Kelly Iko, who has long covered Green since his Rockets days, reported that Green is personally eyeing that late‑December road trip as the moment to get back on the floor.
It fits the normal hamstring pattern: he re‑aggravated the same right hamstring in early November, and early estimates suggested a four‑to‑six‑week recovery window. The Suns fell right in line with that timeline, letting him ramp up through on‑court work before talking seriously about a return window in late December.
Jalen Green Injury Status
Right now, Jalen Green is still officially listed out with a right hamstring strain, but the tone around the team has shifted from “frustrating setback” to “getting close.” Suns coach Jordan Ott has said Green is progressing well, doing on‑court activities, and that the organization is deliberately taking a week‑to‑week approach because of how tricky hamstring injuries can be for explosive guards. CantGuardBook (@CGBBURNER) shared on X the play where Jalen Green reinjured his hamstring, which had caused him to miss the first 8 games of the season.
A quick snapshot of his current status:
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Injury: Right hamstring strain, re‑aggravated after already missing time with the same issue from training camp.
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Games missed: At least 16 consecutive games by mid‑December, after playing only two regular‑season games for Phoenix so far.
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Official listing: Still out on recent injury reports, with updates consistently mentioning a target of “before the end of December” rather than an exact game date.
The Suns are clearly treating him like a long‑term piece, not a short‑term rental. Ott has talked about Green as a young guard with significant value and emphasized that they’d rather lose a week now than risk another re‑strain that could blow up his whole season. For fans, that means a bit more waiting, but also a better chance that when he finally returns, he can actually stay in the lineup.
There’s also the mental side. Green went from playing all 82 games in back‑to‑back seasons with Houston to barely touching the floor in his first year with Phoenix, and that kind of whiplash hits any competitor hard. People around the team have noted that he’s stayed active with the group and engaged on the bench, which matters more than it sounds when you’re stuck in rehab mode instead of putting up 20 a night.
Jalen Green Injury Stats
Before the hamstring shut him down, Jalen Green’s raw stats for the Suns were small in sample size but loud in impact: 29 points in his full debut, and 15.5 points per game across his first two appearances, with efficient shooting and six made threes in that first outing. That debut against the Clippers set a franchise record for most three‑pointers in a Suns debut, which is the kind of stat that instantly raises expectations and, honestly, makes this injury absence feel even more annoying for fans.
To put it in context, here’s the basic contrast:
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2024–25 with Houston: Played all 82 games, averaged about 21.0 points, 4.6 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and nearly 3 made threes per night as the Rockets’ leading scorer.
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2025–26 with Phoenix (so far): Just 2 games, 15.5 points, 2.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists per game, with that 29‑point explosion in his only full outing before the re‑injury.
The hamstring issue first popped up in training camp, then got aggravated during a preseason trip to China and again in his second regular‑season game, which is why the Suns have thrown the brakes on any rushed return. Hamstrings and high‑flyers have never been a great combo, and the medical data backs that up re‑aggravation rates for these kinds of injuries are high enough that a team with playoff hopes simply cannot pretend it’s “just a tweak.”
Disclaimer
Injury timelines for Jalen Green can change quickly based on medical evaluations, rehab progress, and team decisions. Any projected return dates are estimates based on publicly available reports and may not be exact. Always check the latest official team updates and trusted sports news sources before making assumptions or decisions.
