NBA Notes: Suns, Jalen Green, Cavs, Sixers, deadline questions

Suns

The good news in Phoenix is obvious. Jalen Green is back.

The tricky part is everything that comes with it.

Green made his return Tuesday, his first game action since early November after dealing with a right hamstring injury. He is only 23 and still one of the league’s most dynamic scorers. That alone makes this a good problem for first-year head coach Jordan Ott. Still, timing matters.

Phoenix has been rolling. The Suns entered the week on a three-game winning streak, with defined roles and a rotation that made sense night to night. Now it has to bend.

“Asking a team to adjust on the fly is always a challenge,” ESPN’s Dave McMenamin wrote. “Especially when that team has already found success.”

Green does not need to carry them. He just needs to fit. How quickly that happens could shape the rest of the season.

Cavaliers

The Cavs are still searching for themselves.

Cleveland entered the season as a preseason East favorite. Instead, it has spent most of the year hovering around the play-in line, undone by inconsistency and availability.

Now comes another setback. Darius Garland is sidelined again with a Grade one sprain of his right big toe, an issue that has lingered since last season.

“Cleveland has struggled to break free,” ESPN’s Jamal Collier wrote. “But the hope internally is that recent progress carries into the second half.”

The Cavs still believe they can look like contenders when it matters. They just have not done it often enough yet.

76ers

Philadelphia is at a crossroads.

The Sixers have quietly put together a strong first half, settling into the middle of a crowded Eastern playoff race while easing Joel Embiid and Paul George back into rhythm. Tyrese Maxey is playing at an All-NBA level, and rookie VJ Edgecombe has popped.

Now comes the question.

Do the Sixers push for more help? Or do they prioritize flexibility and potentially duck the luxury tax?

“That decision looms,” ESPN’s Tim Bontemps wrote. “And it will define how aggressive Philadelphia is willing to be.”

The pieces are there. What they do next will say plenty.