The Philadelphia 76ers have embarked on a long and tumultuous offseason sooner than many expected. A lot of potential changes are on the table, from a Ben Simmons trade to wide-ranging roster overhaul. One player the Sixers seem to want back, however, is Danny Green.
In his first season with Philadelphia, the three-time NBA champion averaged 9.5 points and 3.8 rebounds on .412/.405/.775 shooting splits. The epitome of 3-and-D for much of his career, Green has aged gracefully thus far. He’s not as quick as he once was, but the 33-year-old provided critical defense and floor-spacing — not to mention veteran leadership.
In his exit interview Monday afternoon, Danny Green shared an illuminating quote from coach Doc Rivers.
Danny Green said he hasn't had any formal talks with the Sixers yet about whether he'll re-sign in free agency, but he said Doc Rivers told him in his exit meeting earlier, "you ain't going nowhere."
— Tom West (@TomWestNBA) June 21, 2021
Green is entering unrestricted free agency and will likely have a number of contenders who desire his services. Most teams have use for a 40 percent 3-point shooter with Green’s resume. The Sixers, however, have his bird rights and can go above the cap to re-sign him. I would argue it’s a plain-and-simple decision.
While using bird rights to keep Green around may lead to a bloated contract, the Sixers will not have cap space either way. Let Green walk, and the cap space dissolves with him. Even if it’s a two-year, $30 million deal — similar to what he signed with the Lakers in the summer of 2019 — Green is at worst a tradeable contract that can help land a better player. At best, he’s still a useful rotation piece and probable starter.
Some fans will point to Green’s early struggles in the Atlanta series as a reason to let him walk. The Hawks were a bad matchup, yes, and he struggles to defend quicker, movement-heavy guards. That said, Rivers did him no favors by assigning him to Trae Young. Very few succeed against Young one-on-one. In the previous round, Green held Russell Westbrook in check.
All year, the Sixers got consistent production from Green, and it’s clear his leadership was invaluable in the locker room. Until Philadelphia gets over the hump, there’s no harm in having players who have scaled the mountaintop around. Green is a teacher as much as a player, and should be welcomed back if he wants to return.