The pros and cons of Josh Green

It’s not fair to judge a NBA player by their peers’ accomplishments, but with Josh Green it’s becoming hard not to do so. Desmond Bane is knocking down clutch 3-pointers for the Memphis Grizzlies. Tyrese Maxey is easily the third-best player on the Philadelphia 76ers, and he might even be their second-best player. Precious Achiuwa emerged as a solid rotation player for the Toronto Raptors last season. The Dallas Mavericks could have drafted all three of these players.

Green has yet to establish himself in the Mavericks’ rotation in two seasons under two different coaches. While it’s true he had the additional challenge of joining the team during a pandemic, but a significant part of the problem is that he has no above-average NBA skills that a coach can count on throughout the season. If pressed for what you think Green is best at, most people would probably answer “high energy.” The guy tries hard, that’s undeniable. Sometimes he tries too hard.

Still, our guy Panda Hank found nine minutes worth of Josh Green highlights from last season. Subscribe to Hank’s channel, check out the video below, and then read on for some pros and cons of Green:

Pros

As mentioned above, Green has incredible energy. There have been times the past two seasons where the Mavericks seemed bored and disinterested with the game of basketball. But never when Green is in the game. It’s impossible to be apathetic when a young player like Green is throwing himself around the court with reckless abandon.

Green is also a surprisingly good passer. He’s not skilled enough to be the third ball handler that the Mavericks desperately need right now, but again, he’s not bad. Green isn’t a former point guard that grew six inches overnight or anything. Somehow, though, he’s got a decent idea of where the ball should go on offense.

His size is also a plus. Green is 6’6” with a 6’10” wingspan. He’s still only 21 years old, and won’t turn 22 until November. There’s still time for him to put more muscle on his frame, and when he does, that size will be a huge problem for anyone he guards.

Cons

Green has above average athleticism, but he’s not overwhelming anyone in the NBA with his leaping ability or quickness. Maybe after a full offseason in a professional fitness program his athleticism will finally jump off the screen.

More importantly, though, Green seemed to still be lost on the court at the end of his second year. The Mavericks rode a shallow bench all season and playoffs, but Jason Kidd still couldn’t find a place in the rotation for Green. The second-year player missed rotations on defense and lost his place on offense. Again, maybe a normal offseason and a second year in the same system will help with these issues.

Finally, Green’s shot needs major work. He’s never going to significant minutes in the playoffs until he proves he can make opposing defenses pay for leaving him open. Last season he shot 35% from deep, albeit on 1.2 attempts per game. But in the playoffs, that percentage dropped to 22% and defenses completely ignored him. Which is the true Josh Green? We’ll probably find out next season.