3 reasons why Josh Green is the perfect fit with Hornets
07/01/2024 07:14 PM
The Dallas Mavericks made a three-team deal to execute a sign-and-trade for Klay Thompson. The Charlotte Hornets were lucky enough to get in on the trade and land Josh Green by only giving up a second-round pick to help facilitate the move.
Green is fresh off of an NBA Finals run and comes to a Hornets team that isn’t close to that level. Still, the future is bright in the Queen City. Green is only 23 years old and will grow with the rest of the young guys on the roster. Let’s expound upon some of the reasons why this makes sense for both parties.
Josh Green is the prototypical wing in today’s NBA
Outside of having size and stars on the roster, having 3-and-D players is vital to team success. Josh Green fits that mold already.
At 6’5″ and 200 pounds, Green provides versatility that the Hornets need to guard some of those premiere wing players. He has the athleticism to disrupt passing lanes, come in for weak-side help, and wreak havoc on the defensive side of the floor.
His offensive game could use some work in terms of creating his own offense. But Green proved he can hit an open three after shooting 38% from deep. He only took about three triples per game though, so he’ll have the chance to get more shots up per game assuming he plays more minutes per game.
Green played a career-high 26 minutes in his fourth season in the league. He will likely see an uptick in that category based off of his track record and will likely be starter or key rotational player right away. Guys like Tre Mann, Nick Smith Jr., and Amari Bailey will all be competing with Green for minutes at that two-guard spot.
Green fits the timeline of LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, and Co.
The Hornets already have a core that doesn’t feature anyone who is 25+ years old. Both Mark Williams and LaMelo Ball are 22, Brandon Miller is 21, and Tidjane Salaun is only 18 years old. With these key pieces still being under 25, it breeds some optimism that they’ll be able to figure out how to play together, grow, and win games moving forward. Adding Green to the mix seems like a great move, especially since it was just for a future second-round pick.
Green would also already commend respect since he played a role on a 2024 championship contender during the playoffs. New head coach Charles Lee got see Josh Green for five games during the NBA Finals after winning a championship with the Boston Celtics. Lee will find a way to use him right away.
Most of the action on the floor will include Ball and Miller. Getting other complementary pieces like Green will only make their jobs easier. Green already played with both Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving out in Dallas, so he’ll be playing the same exact role for Charlotte. Play off the ball. Move without it, dive after guard screen & roll actions, and be ready to catch and shoot.
The contract is perfect for Hornets
Hornets general manager Jeff Peterson acquired Green while he still has three years $42 million left on his deal. It’s an affordable and versatile contract. In the best case scenario, Green develops into one of the best two-way players in the NBA while helping Charlotte grow. Plus, if Charlotte doesn’t resign Miles Bridges, Green could become the team’s go-to defender on elite offensive guys.
If things don’t pan out, Green’s contract can be moved fairly easily and Charlotte only gambled away a couple of second-round picks to see if he could be a part of their core moving forward. Peterson made a low-risk, high-reward play to get this deal done and it was a good move for a young team.
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