Sixers: 5 biggest questions entering the offseason

Sixers’ biggest offseason questions: What is Danny Green’s future?

Danny Green went down in the first quarter of Game 6 with what looked like a significant knee injury. We will have to wait on the MRI and the official diagnosis, but Green’s future is very much up in the air — not only due to health, but due to his contract.

Firstly, you just have to feel for Danny. His many shortcomings aside, he was essential to the Sixers’ playoffs run and he has now been hurt in consecutive postseasons. And, at his age, a long-term knee injury casts quite a bit of doubt over his future in the NBA. It’s really unfortunate.

For the Sixers, the question becomes: do you still pick up Green’s $10 million team option for next season, or do you let him walk into free agency (and potentially retirement). Green isn’t worth $10 million on paper, but that’s a pretty valuable expiring contract (read: trade chip) for the guy who is still your fifth best player. If Green was perfectly healthy, the Sixers would probably pick up the option without much hesitation. Now, the water is a bit murkier.

On one hand, you could still dangle Green’s expiring $10 million on the trade market even if he’s not going to play. The Sixers don’t have much financial flexibility right now, and that contract could be one of the few paths to acquiring a meaningful upgrade somewhere on the roster. On the other hand, does ownership want to shell out $10 million and the ensuing luxury tax penalty for a guy who might miss the entire season? If that’s ultimately the case, it could really test ownership’s commitment to spending big and winning games.

Any way you slice it, Green’s future is in doubt. Here’s to hoping the knee injury isn’t a serious as it looked.