Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images Did year three produce more questions or answers about the explosive guard? 2024 was certainly a leap year, in technical terms. However, when it comes to Jalen Green, one would be remiss to say it was “the leap” year. In many ways this was a roller coaster season for the very talented, yet inconsistent third-year guard. An early season swoon, followed by a second half surge, has given Houston Rockets’ management much to think about going into another pivotal summer for both parties. Coming into the 2023-24 season, Green was expected to take the proverbial “leap” or “jump” and ascend into the prodigal star he was projected to become. Finally surrounded by proven veterans and a highly sought after coach, it was Green’s turn to put the league on notice. Fred VanVleet arrived and Houston could finally say they had a legitimate point guard. There would be no more fruitless games of “his turn, my turn” with the since-exiled Kevin Porter Jr. VanVleet wasn’t the only reinforcement headed down South either. Dillon “the Villain” Brooks was on his way as well. This meant that there would be less defensive lapses on the perimeter, something that tore the Rockets youthful backcourt up in seasons prior. It all seemed like it was set up around Green to excel and take that next step forward. However, it wasn’t Green that seized the day. Instead, another third-year player took the reins and asserted themself as the alpha, Alperen Sengun. It didn’t take long to notice that Sengun was shaping up for a special season and with that came the uncertainty of Jalen’s situation. Green lagged behind to the tune of 14.9 points per game on 37/32/82 splits in December, too often finding himself benched in the fourth quarter. It was clear that new coach, Ime Udoka, wasn’t here to tolerate poor habits and performance. Jalen had somewhat of a better January, but February ended up being the worst of the worst. With the Rockets falling further away from the playoff pack, and Green not living up to expectations, the rumor mill started to swirl. Udoka seemed insistent on making the playoffs and it only complicated the situation for what was becoming a distressed asset in Green. We started hearing more about the uncertainty of Green’s future with the team and with that, the lust for the Brooklyn Nets’ Mikal Bridges, a splendid three-and-D player that folks in the organization view as a snug fit. Bridges exhibited growth as a personal shot creator since coming to Brooklyn in last year’s Kevin Durant blockbuster, but he’s not someone with the athletic ceiling that Green holds. There were talks of Green and multiple picks for Bridges, but it appears that Brooklyn rebuffed that offer (something that I don’t think they feel good about in retrospect). It was a fortuitous turn of events for the Rockets as it turns out because Green flipped the switch once the calendar turned to March (or Leap Day if we want to keep it historically correct). It was as if a young Kobe Bryant — the version with the mini-fro — got dropped onto the roster. It was a sight to behold as Green morphed into a Western Conference Player of the Month contestant, boasting 27.7 points, 6.3 rebounds and 3.9 assists on 49/41/77 shooting splits as the Rockets went 13-2 during that stretch. It’s likely that Green would have taken home those honors over Luka Doncic had Houston defeated the Dallas Mavericks on the final day of March. March was truly special to witness and further validation as to why you hold off on moving someone with Green’s pedigree, unless there’s a deal for a bona fide star out there. Green’s ability to create and make shots from anywhere on the court is what makes him one of a few. It just happens to be that it took him awhile to remember that fact. So what helped make things click for Green after months of doubt and frustration? Maybe he sensed that the team needed him more than ever as Sengun suffered a season-ending injury. That could be it, but Green was already starting to heat up prior to Sengun’s injury. Perhaps he was aided by the heralded baby boost rumors. He wouldn’t be the first athlete to take their games to new levels due to fatherhood. You might remember Jalen’s teammate, VanVleet, also received the baby stimulus package back during the 2019 postseason as he became a key contributor for the title-winning Toronto Raptors. It would be the most fun reason, but it’s still superstition at the end of the day. The most likely reason is that Jalen is just a very streaky player because if we look at his regression in April, it’s the most logical explanation. A lot of players in this league wax and wane based simply off confidence. Seeing a shot go in can set them on fire. On contrary, a few bad plays can send them reeling the other way. The trick for Green is that he just needs to be more consistent going in the upward trajectory. We know he can play well for extended periods because we just saw him do it. The talent is there. Now it’s time for him to hone that talent. He’ll get another crack at it should he survive the Summer. I hope it’s here in Houston. Source: https://www.thedreamshake.com/2024/5/20 ... alen-green