Phoenix guard Jalen Green will not play Friday when the Suns begin exhibition action against the Los Angeles Lakers in Palm Springs, head coach Jordan Ott told reporters Thursday. The fourth-year guard is recovering from a low-grade hamstring strain.
Green will travel with the team to Macao for two preseason games against the Brooklyn Nets on Oct. 10 and 12, but Ott said his participation there is uncertain. “He’ll be with us in China,” the coach explained. “The goal is the Oct. 22 season opener.”
Williams Still Limited
Center Mark Williams is also scheduled to sit out Friday’s contest. According to Ott, the 7-footer has taken part in every non-contact drill during training camp but has yet to join live 5-on-5 sessions. Williams appeared in just 106 games over three seasons with Charlotte because of multiple injuries, and the Suns plan to increase his workload gradually throughout the four-game preseason slate.
Maluach Adds Bulk
Rookie center Khaman Maluach, listed at 250 pounds at Duke and 253 ahead of Summer League, said he now weighs 262-263 pounds. The 19-year-old noted that much of the added mass comes from strengthening his lower body and core rather than heavy weight-room sessions.
Hayes-Davis Confident After EuroLeague Stint
Forward Nigel Hayes-Davis, set for his first NBA season since 2018, expressed confidence that his two-way play from the EuroLeague will translate stateside. The veteran spent the past several years in Turkey, Spain and Lithuania and believes his style fits “on either league, on any continent.”
Source: Hoops Rumors
