One vital move the Sixers need to make this offseason is bringing back Danny Green. His production for the 76ers’ offense was very effective last season, shooting 41.2 percent on 6.3 field goal attempts per game. He, along with four other players, shot above 35 percent from 3-point range (Seth Curry 45 percent, Tobias Harris 39 percent, Furkan Korkmaz 37 percent, and Shake Milton 35 percent).
Danny’s efficiency and ability to knock down shots when needed was one of the main reasons why the Sixers finished atop of the Eastern Conference. It is not a surprise that Danny was able to be such a strong contributor for the Sixers.
Playing next to Ben Simmons contributed significantly to his efficiceny. Green was assisted on 81 percent of his 3-point makes, the majority of them coming from Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid. When Ben attacks the rim, drawing in multiple defenders, he usually makes the right call to kick it out to open shooters, which benefited Danny Green a lot. Likewise, when Joel sees a double coming, he too was exceptional at kicking it to the open shooter, leaving them uncontested most of the time. Danny would have enjoyed playing alongside these two as they complemented his game perfectly.
Danny Green was an important part of the Sixers’ starting five last season. The team should work hard to re-sign him.
During the first day of free agency, both the Lakers and the Heat were some of the teams were after Green’s services for the upcoming season. However, since then, some new signings from both teams makes it highly unlikely that he would take his talents to Miami or Los Angeles. Having said that, other teams are also interested in signing the three-time champion, including the Bucks, Celtics, Bulls and the Pelicans. Reports have also come through saying that the Sixers and Green’s camp are nowhere near getting a deal done. If the Sixers were to lose the veteran wing defender, it would be a major blow to the team.
That said, Green’s departure could lead to Matisse Thybulle getting more minutes. Defensively, this would be exceptional for the Sixers, as the young guard was able to make it onto the NBA’s second team All-Defense despite starting just eight games. Although his 3-point shot is not the most efficient, Thybulle has shown flashes of improvement, as seen in the Tokyo Olympics representing Australia.
Likewise, Green can also provide average wing defense to the Sixers. While he is aging and his defense isn’t as as good as it used to be, it can still prove useful for the Sixers. Not only does Danny provide leadership and shooting to the team, he also is a winner by heart. The three-time champion was a major contributor to the 2020 Lakers, 2019 Raptors and 2014 Spurs’ title runs. His vast playoff experience and leadership role can be of use to any team. Being 34 years old he most likely wont get a huge deal, hopefully just enough for the Sixers to sign him to continue their championship aspirations.