Jalen Green likely to end summer league stint for Rockets after injury

Jalen Green expects to miss the last two summer league games with hamstring tightness, he told Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle.

The Houston Rockets will likely prevent prized rookie Jalen Green from playing in their final two summer league games, per Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports. The No. 2 pick from the 2021 NBA draft left Thursday’s game early with right hamstring soreness.

Early indications were Green’s exit was precautionary, as opposed to an injury of significance. Nonetheless, it’s understandable the Rockets would not risk a further injury in summer exhibitions.

Houston Chronicle beat writer Jonathan Feigen, who is in Las Vegas, asked Green after Thursday’s game whether his stint as a Rockets summer league player was over. Green responded by saying:

Yeah, I’m good. I don’t have anything to prove anything here. I got to prove it in the NBA, and that’s what I’m going to try to do.

I think I proved myself this week. We’re just going to be cautious and get ready for the season, in case it is anything. But it’s just tight.

I feel good. I’m sad that I had to leave that game, but I feel good. … I feel I improved myself this week.

Green started Thursday’s game with 13 points (3-of-5 on 3-pointers) and 3 rebounds in just 12 minutes, but he grimaced after a shot attempt late in the second quarter and struggled to get back on defense.

If Thursday’s partial game against the Raptors is it for Green in Las Vegas, he concludes his summer run with spectacular numbers. In limited playing time of 24 minutes per game, the 6-foot-6 guard averaged 20.3 points and 4.3 rebounds while shooting 51.3% from the field, 52.6% on 3-pointers and 92.8% on free throws. Houston went 2-1 in Green’s summer contests, and it did not lose when the 19-year-old played in the second half.

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