To introduce a new play to the Suns during Tuesday morning’s shootaround interim coach Jay Triano shouted, “Starters on here.”

Devin Booker ran onto the floor with the first unit. Josh Jackson stayed behind.

One of the ramifications of Booker’s return to the lineup Tuesday against Memphis after missing three weeks with a strained left adductor muscle is that it moves Jackson back to the second unit. Anyone looking at Jackson’s numbers would say that’s not a bad thing; Jackson is shooting just 38.4 percent from the field, 24.7 percent from 3-point range and he’s averaging more turnovers per game (1.8) than assists (1.1).

But it does change a bench that was largely responsible for the Suns going 3-2 in their past five games. The bench averaged 51.4 points and 12.2 assists per game, the five-man unit of Isaiah Canaan, Troy Daniels, Danuel House, Dragan Bender and Alex Len outscored opponents 131-98, and the bench’s net rating was plus-16.8.

Jackson, who will back up starting small forward T.J. Warren, could be a rather large wrench. But Triano doesn’t see it that way for a couple of reasons.

First, it’s not as if this is new for Jackson. He’s come off the bench in 22 of Phoenix’s 35 games. Second, Triano believes Jackson’s skill set will complement the shooters he has on that second unit. Daniels and Canaan are both shooting better than 40 percent from 3-point range and Bender is shooting 36.4 percent. Conversely, among the starters, only Booker is shooting better than 30 percent.

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The more spacing there is on the floor, the more it opens up the lane for Jackson.

“It gives us a cutter and a slasher in that group which is a good thing,” Triano said. “It naturally fits. The floor will be spread for sure. I think having Dragan out there with the second unit makes a four have to go out and guard him.”

Jackson said coming off the bench makes no difference to him.

“It just means I don’t start the game,” he said. “That’s the only thing that really changes. It’ll be the same. Come out and do the same thing I did when I was starting.”

It’s been an uneven rookie season for Jackson. On one hand, he’s often taken on the responsibility of guarding the opponents’ best perimeter scorer, which is unusual for a rookie and an indication of the Suns’ belief in him going forward as a lockdown defender.

But among NBA rookies, he ranks 33rd out of 37 in true shooting percentage and 31st in player efficiency rating.

“He’s going too fast,” Triano said. “He’s going faster than he control right now. That’s the only problem. I like his aggressiveness. We just have to harness it. We’ve said that from the beginning. He plays at one speed and it’s fast. He needs to change that up a bit.”

Triano believes Jackson will get more comfortable offensively as the season rolls on. That may already be happening. In his past five games, he’s averaging 12.2 points per game, shooting 43.4 percent from the field and 40 percent from 3-point range.

“I feel like I’m a lot better now,” Jackson said. “More comfortable out there, more knowledgeable, better timing on our plays. So I think I’m a little better.”

Moving forward, Jackson’s ability to develop a more consistent jump shot will determine whether his offense ever catches up to his defense.

“He’s a slasher. Teams are playing him for that,” Triano said. “This league is about having a skill and developing the next one so you can get back to it. If you can only go to your left, teams will take that away and you’ll be out of the league. We’re working with him on his shot and other aspects of his game but right now he’s got one NBA skill and that’s being able to get to the basket.”

It’s a skill Triano hopes blends in well with the Suns’ bench.

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T.J. Warren's 'outstanding' half

T.J. Warren’s second-half performance against Minnesota on Saturday was obscured by the Suns’ 115-106 loss but what a second half it was: 20 points on 10 of 15 shooting, eight rebounds, one assist, one steal and one blocked shot.

“That was one of the best second halves in the NBA this year,” Triano said. “All-around. Rebounding, defending, scoring. You look at his stat line just in the second half, that was outstanding.”

Davon Reed update

Rookie guard Davon Reed, who’s been sidelined all season after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery, could start playing games with the Suns’ G League affiliate in Prescott Valley sometime this week, Triano said.

Reed, the 32nd overall pick in last summer’s draft, has been practicing five-on-five.

“This is his training camp and he’ll have a little bit of a preseason as well,” Triano said. “The logical thing for him to do is go to Prescott Valley (home of the NAZ Suns) and that could happen anytime this week.”

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