Jalen Green is going to set a depressing record with Suns this season

Few players have as much to prove for the Phoenix Suns this season than new recruit Jalen Green. The 23-year-old did not feature for the team during preseason, aggravating a hamstring strain while on the two game trip to China to take on the Brooklyn Nets. As a result of this, he is not going to be available for opening night versus the Sacramento Kings.

Green isn't the only starter who will be missing - center Mark Williams also won't feature - but this group is quickly creating a next man up mentality. As evidenced by Dillon Brooks requiring stitches after a scrimmage at training recently, this roster is going to play hard no matter who is out on the court.

Green all but certain to play career low games this season.

Looking at Green's injury from the bigger picture however, and the fact he is going to miss anywhere from 10 days to two weeks is not the best way to start off his time in The Valley. We've already tried to look at the positives - and Devin Booker getting time to settle into his new role without having to think about Green is certainly one of them - but the Suns would much rather have him out there.

In fact across his last two seasons with the organization who drafted him in the Houston Rockets, Green didn't miss a single regular season game. The lowest tally throughout his first four years in the league was as a rookie, when he managed 67 appearances. Also worth noting through 307 regular season appearances - plus seven playoff games - Green has never come off the bench.

So assuming he misses the first handful of games for Phoenix, Green will both break his impressive streak of suiting up every night for a couple of years, and will also be on his way to turning in the lowest amount of games played for his career so far. He'll still be clear of that 67 mark by the time he does return, but any sort of injury at all will surely see him dip below that figure.

This shouldn't be a concern to the Suns - at least right away - but the more time Green and Booker have on the court together, the better. They can also take turns running the show while the other is on the bench, but that can't happen if Green is in street clothes. Booker could also do with a younger, elite scorer to grind through the regular season so he doesn't have to. Not a disaster, but not ideal.