Credit: Kenneth Richmond/G Fiume via Getty Images

Jalen Green warns NBA about ‘crazy’ Houston Rockets player who ‘isn’t just gonna be great’

Originally posted on NBA Analysis Network
By Jonah Kubicek | Last updated Jul 24, 2025 8:00 AM ET

Jalen Green was traded to the Phoenix Suns as part of the deal that sent Kevin Durant to the Houston Rockets.

Green is excited about the next chapter of his NBA career, although he will still keep a close eye on his old team.

When Jalen Green was drafted by the Houston Rockets second overall in the 2021 NBA Draft, he was expected to be the face of the franchise in the post-James Harden era.

Instead, the team signed him to an easily tradeable three-year, $106 million extension, and the deal that sent him to the Phoenix Suns came as no surprise, least of all to Green himself.

While Green is prepared to take the next step in the desert, he made it very clear that he will be paying attention to his old team, and thinks one player in particular will be especially dangerous.

Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images

Jalen Green sends a warning to the NBA

The Suns will be keen for Green to look forward to future success, although he took a moment to reflect on his previous stint with the Rockets.

Off the court, he and Alperen Sengun became personal friends, and Sengun was the first member of the Rockets’ young core to make an All-Star team, quickly usurping Green as the young face of the franchise.

Sengun’s reign will also be short-lived, as Amen Thompson is expected to quickly surpass him by dominating on both ends of the floor next season.

Houston’s success hinges on Thompson being able to take the next step on offense, putting together a complete skillset, and no one has more faith in him than Green.

“Alpy is cool as hell,” he wrote in the Players’ Tribune. “With him and Amen, Rockets fans got a lot to look forward to for years to come, man.

“I can tell you because I had a front row seat for it — Amen isn’t just gonna be great. Amen is gonna be crazy.”

Thompson and Victor Wembanyama are two of the most dominating and dynamic young defenders in the league, both already making the All-Defensive First Team.

While Thompson hasn’t found the same amount of success on the offensive side of the ball, if he can put it all together, “crazy” might not even start to cover it.

For Green, it’s a matter of when, not if, Thompson takes the next step.

Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images

Amen Thompson is expected to be the face of the Houston Rockets

Thompson became one of the youngest players in NBA history to make the All-Defensive First Team, clinching the spot at just 22 years old.

Thompson is one of the best athletes in the entire league, a versatile defender, a capable ball-handler, and a decent playmaker.

The only part of his game that has fallen short is his 3-point shooting. Last season, he made only 27.5% of his shots from deep.

With Durant in town, who averaged over five points per game more than Green on one less shot, there should be more space for Thompson to get to the rim, where he excels.

If Thompson can bring his offensive game to half the level that his defense is at, he is a lock to make his first All-Star team next season, even in a very talented Western Conference.

While the addition of Durant certainly boosts Houston’s title case, Thompson’s improvement is at the center of their hopes.

This article first appeared on NBA Analysis Network and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: