It appears increasingly likely that Danny Green will not return for a second season in Philadelphia. The Sixers‘ small forward is “nowhere close” to re-signing, according to the Inquirer’s Keith Pompey. Things can change quickly in the NBA, and Philadelphia can basically pay more than any other team, but rumor has it Green prefers to play elsewhere.
That’s a bummer. Green was an important part of the Sixers’ starting five, and there’s no ready-made replacement on the roster. People will point to Matisse Thybulle, but the offensive drop-off from Green to Thybulle is significant. That’s without taking into consideration the steep defensive decline in the second unit as soon as Thybulle joins the first five.
Ideally, the Sixers and Green can still work something out. Doc Rivers made it no secret that Philadelphia would love to have Green back. That said, if it does come to a departure, the next-best scenario for the Sixers is a sign-and-trade.
Harrison Sanford, who is Green’s podcast co-host on “Inside the Green Room,” named four teams who are interested in Green’s services: Milwaukee, Boston, Chicago, and Pelicans. Who could the Sixers potentially get back in a sign-and-trade?
Sixers’ possible Danny Green sign-and-trade with Bucks
There is a chance any Sixers sign-and-trade would simply open up a trade exception, instead of bringing back a player in return. Also possible is Green simply walking for the mid-level exception or less to join a contender (like Milwaukee).
That said, if the Bucks were to send back more than a second-round pick or two, a player to watch is Pat Connaughton. The former Notre Dame star played an important role off the bench in Milwaukee’s run to the 2021 championship. For the season, he averaged 6.8 points and 4.8 rebounds in 22.8 minutes per game, hitting 37.1 percent of his 3s.
For the Sixers, this would qualify as an ideal outcome. Connaughton is a legitimate rotation player on a contender. He’s not on Green’s level, and it’s certainly one-sided in favor of Milwaukee, but that’s the nature of sign-and-trades. The Sixers will not upgrade on talent if Green decides to walk.
At 6-foot-5, Connaughton has the size and defensive toughness to potentially replace Green in the starting five. He’s a quick-trigger shooter who would fill a comparable role on offense, and give them a bit more youth (28 years old).