3 Suns who have stepped up in Jalen Green's absence

The Phoenix Suns might have outperformed expectations so far this season, but that doesn't mean they haven't missed Jalen Green. Their big summer acquisition failing to make it through two games before going down with a hamstring issue which curtail his beginning to life in The Valley.

The 23-year-old is unlikely to be back this side of Christmas, which is a blow as the Suns unexpectedly jostle for a playoff spot in the early goings. The chemistry with Devin Booker - albeit brief - also looked like a fun wrinkle for head coach Jordan Ott to explore in year one.

Three Suns have stepped up without Green.

This has led to an opportunity for others to step up as the team have continued to win games, and the true benefits of this will be felt once Green returns. Coach Ott going to have a deeper rotation with which to win games.

3. Mark Williams

Although the overlap between a sharpshooter like Green and the starting center Mark Williams doesn't appear obvious, he has still taken on a greater role for the franchise. His individual scoring and even assist numbers are down some on last season, but crucially he has remained healthy.

He's likely to appear in a back-to-back before the season is out, while defensively the Suns are a much tougher group to break down when he is out there. Really though it is what he means to the group with Green not currently available that has been great to see.

Both his teammates and the fans turn to him and expect him to produce every night, and Williams has delivered. He has also quickly developed an understanding with Booker that Green should also be able to get in on when the time comes.

2. Grayson Allen

Where the Suns would be without Grayson Allen this season is a fair question to ponder, and the second longest tenured player has been a massive offensive outlet for the team. He's averaging a career high 18.5 points per game, third most behind only Dillon Brooks and Booker.

He's also managed to go a sizzling 44.7 percent from deep on a heavy load of 8.8 attempts each night, with that latter number also representing a career high. The extra step Allen has taken has been with his playmaking, and he's been the secondary creator alongside Booker with Green out.

We saw him step up his productivity in his first campaign in The Valley when Bradley Beal went down, and he's not only repeated the trick but brought it to another level this time out. He's also a factor defensively, so much so that coach Ott has started him at every opportunity.

The fact he's currently missing through injury himself has only highlighted his importance to the group with Green unavailable, and he'll slot straight back into the starting lineup once healthy again. At a time when many thought he would be traded, Allen has instead been the solution.

1. Collin Gillespie

You know a player is popping when fans take to social media and talk about giving out "lifetime contracts", but such is the impact backup point guard Collin Gillespie has made this season. The former G League standout excelling in a much larger role.

Which would not have happened the same way had Green been available, as Gillespie would have been the odd man out with Booker, Allen and Royce O'Neale all needing minutes. Instead he's taken this opportunity with both hands, to the point bringing him back next season is a no-brainer.

What continues to surprise other than the hustle and heart are the smarts, Gillespie is a clever player on both ends of the court. He willingly gives up the ball and relocates once he's shaken his defender, and shooting 41.1 percent on 6.2 attempts from deep is Allen-esque in its effectiveness.

So good has Gillespie been that calls for him to become a starter have come at various points, but he appears to be the perfect weapon off the bench for this group. Coach Ott is going to have a tough decision to make when Green is healthy, because he simply can't play Gillespie less.