Jalen Green Expands Playmaking Role for Phoenix Suns in 2026

Phoenix Suns guard Jalen Green is preparing to take on greater playmaking responsibilities during the 2026-27 NBA season, potentially reshaping the team's offensive structure alongside Devin Booker. In reports published October 10, Green expressed confidence in handling the ball, while analysis from Bright Side of the Sun identified his development as a key factor in Phoenix's ability to build a more effective offense.

Green averaged 3.3 assists per game during his first five NBA seasons, according to Sports Yahoo. Although primarily known as a scorer, the guard is now working to improve his decision-making and ability to create opportunities for teammates as the Suns distribute their ball-handling duties more evenly.

Green described his growing comfort with the responsibility and emphasized the importance of recognizing defensive coverage before making a play.

"I feel comfortable bringing the ball up, getting guys in the sets. I'm very comfortable with having the ball in my hands in general. As far making the right read, that is where my head is at right now. Get into the paint, draw two, make the right read," Green said about his development as a playmaker in Phoenix.

His expanded role could give Booker more opportunities to concentrate on scoring rather than serving as the team's primary facilitator. Green's ability to maintain his scoring production while creating shots for teammates will be an important consideration as Phoenix evaluates its offensive options.

Bright Side of the Sun reported that Green will earn $36.3 million this season and holds a $36 million player option for the following season. The outlet also highlighted his career assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.4:1, a statistic that underscores the importance of ball security as he assumes greater responsibility as a distributor.

Green has worked with Steve Nash during the offseason, according to Bright Side of the Sun. The organization will be looking for improvements in his court vision, spacing, and ability to make reliable decisions rather than expecting him to immediately become an elite assist producer.

Booker remains central to Phoenix's plans. He led the Suns with 386 assists last season and ranked third on the team in passes per game, averaging 35.8, according to Bright Side of the Sun. At the team's media day, Booker discussed his intention to become more aggressive as a shooter.

"Sometimes I fall into passing too much and this year, hopefully, I fall into shooting too much," Booker said to Arizona Sports 98.7.

Former Suns player Eddie Johnson supported the idea of giving Booker a more prominent scoring role, arguing that the franchise needs its leading offensive player to remain aggressive. Johnson shared his assessment in an interview with Kyle Odegard for NEXTPredict.

"If you want to go far and win a championship, you've got to have that guy, and he is that guy," Johnson told Odegard.

Johnson also welcomed Booker's stated intention to shoot more, saying the guard had previously been inconsistent in his approach to scoring. He emphasized that Booker should not take a secondary role within the team.

"I'm happy that he's talking that way (about shooting more), because until now he's really been like a rollercoaster, up and down with that mindset. I think now he understands that he cannot take a back seat to anybody on this team." Johnson said.

Booker's long-term value and the Suns' championship prospects also drew scrutiny from Bill Simmons and Rob Mahoney on The Bill Simmons Podcast. Simmons questioned whether Booker's three-point shooting could improve, noting that the guard had shot 34% from beyond the arc over the previous four years despite the expectation that he could reach 44%.

"[He's] the number one guy that you just assume in your head is shooting like 44% from three and it's 34% last four years," Simmons observed.

Simmons questioned whether those shooting figures would define the remainder of Booker's career, while Mahoney argued that the financial scale of the guard's contract could make roster construction more difficult. Their discussion focused on whether Phoenix could assemble enough complementary talent to compete for a championship around Booker.

"The scale of that contract might have sealed it just because," Mahoney added.

Mahoney said building a contender around Booker could require an elite defense and additional playmaking to offset limitations in the team's offensive ceiling. The analysis identified Green's development as a potential factor in determining whether Phoenix can create a more balanced attack while preserving Booker's scoring responsibilities.