PHOENIX -- The Phoenix Suns will have to make a decision sooner rather than later on what to do with Jalen Green after his slow start to the season.

Phoenix hasn't found any cohesion with Green, Devin Booker, Dillon Brooks and Miles Bridges sharing the court, as the four-man lineup has a minus-21.2 net rating in 168 minutes played together, which is the second worst of any four-man group (minimum 140 minutes).

Green, in particular, has struggled to adjust to a new playmaking role, and his numbers are down across the board, highlighted by a career lows of11.8 points per game, 10.6 field-goal attempts and 27% 3-point shooting. The Suns also have a minus-15.6 net rating with Green on the floor, the worst mark among any player on the team.

Although the Suns improved to 5-6 on the year after defeating the Charlotte Hornets last night, they might need to move Green to the bench soon or explore trade avenues.

Suns Could Explore Jalen Green Trade

The Athletic's Sam Amick reported Friday that Phoenix could be looking for a trade partner for Green, who has been fully healthy this season after an injury-riddled first year in Phoenix.

"After averaging 21 points per game in his final Rockets season, Green’s scoring dipped to 17.8 in his first season with the Suns (in just 32 games) and currently stands at just 11.8 through his first (11) games (he’s fourth in scoring behind Devin Booker, Miles Bridges and Brooks)," Amick wrote. "In turn, there is a great deal of interest around the league in how Phoenix will handle Green (who has a player option worth $36 million for next season) heading into the deadline.

"The outside belief is that they are motivated to swap Green for a proven point guard. The Suns, according to a team source, insist that they’ll remain patient with their roster and don’t plan to truly engage in trade talks, potentially, until later in the season."

Some of the names that have been most prominent in trade rumors around the league include the New Orleans Pelicans guard Dejounte Murray, who just officially requested a trade, and Los Angeles Clippers guard Darius Garland. Sacramento Kings big man Domantas Sabonis has also been a name to watch.

Phoenix has reportedly "registered interesst" in Murray, according to NBA insider Chris Haynes.

How Should Suns Approach Jalen Green Situation?

It's becoming clear that Green is not the Suns' answer for a playmaker alongside Booker, and it's also hard to see what his role would be coming off the bench with two other guard scorers in Collin Gillespie and Luke Kennard.

With that being said, Green simply just doesn't fit Phoenix's roster, but at the same time, trading him away for another player who's also on a bigger deal but not meeting standards is not going to magically fix all the Suns' problems.

Phoenix should explore if there's another player off the bench, such as Jordan Goodwin or Gillespie, who can help the starting lineup in place of Green and would then have to evalutate how Green does off the bench.

If there's not a trade on the horizon, a move to the bench might be coming soon after Green was benched in crunch time against the Hornets, but coach Jordan Ott has not been one to make a lot of significant changes when the team is healthy.

The situation the Suns find themselves in with Green simply doesn't have an easy answer, especially given that Phoenix has other questionable fits with Brooks and Bridges, who is still likely to be given an extension after the Suns traded for him this offseason.

For now, a move to the bench might be the best option, but it appears a trade could be coming.