What’s The Plan With Gerald Green?
Free Agency
The biggest reason for playing the younger guys over Green is that Goodwin and Warren have a long-term future in Phoenix. Green will soon be an unrestricted free agent and can’t be happy with his rapid decline in his role/minutes. A separation might be best for both parties at this point.
The best season of Green’s career came here in Phoenix, but the Suns have moved further away from trying to build an instant contender and closer toward a long-term build. That path emphasizes youth, and the Suns would probably rather have cap space than spend extra money to re-sign a 29-year-old whose role with the team is already in question.
Green still has something to offer an NBA team as well, and there would be a number of teams interested in paying up for his valuable bench production. What interest does he have in re-signing with a team that’s shackled him and would rather be playing the young guys anyway?
Until the two (likely) part ways this summer, however, there’s the awkward situation of how to handle Green’s minutes. No Suns fan I know of wishes him ill will, but there’s no denying that benching him for Goodwin would hurt his market value. Phoenix would be better off giving Green’s minutes to Goodwin, but as of right now, it appears Hornacek will continue to give G-Air-ld his chances.
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