Trade & FA 2023-24: Sexton On the Market? | ORL Likes Hartenstein?

[Smitty]

As for Green, I like him, too, but it's more and more frustrating to me that he can't seem to find a toehold on the team. On one hand, he has emerged from the swamp of THJ/Exum as the most useful backup wing on the team this season, but on the other, I'm not seeing a clear, difference making role for him, and while yes, he's 23, he has been here a WHILE. It's just tiring.

This is a similar argument someone used recently and my response will be the same here. There are at least 5 players in this years draft that are older than Green. Had Green stayed at Arizona and been a FRP this year, would you be so eager to say he has no upside. He's 23 years old and has gotten valuable playing time against NBA competition, rather than the NCAA level or G league. 

It's his offense that's talked about most as a negative, and I agree that he needs to shoot more. It's not his role on this team - but he's a great shooter and it'd be good to get him more volume.


Josh Green | Ages 20-23 | 4,528 minutes played (223 Games)

6.4 PPG | 2.7 RBS | 1.5 AST | 0.7 STL

50.3 FG% (5.0 FGA) | 37.5 3PT% (2.1 3PA)


Dorian Finney-Smith | Ages 23-26 | 4,529 minutes played (200 Games)

6.2 PPG | 3.9 RBS | 1.0 AST | 0.7 STL

41.3 FG% (5.5 FGA) | 30.6 3PT% (2.9 3PA)


Dorian Finney-Smith | Ages 26-29 | 7,518 minutes played (Games 201-434)

10.1 PPG | 5.1 RBS | 1.7 AST | 0.9 STL

46.0 FG% (8.0 FGA) | 38.6 3PT% (5.1 3PA)


Green reminds me of DFS in the same way that they were both hesitant to shoot, DFS even a worse shooter earlier in his career, and that they both do the dirty work, hustle, glue guys - INTANGIBLES.  They play different positions and the team is structured quite differently, but I just see a career arc for Green that mimics DFS. DFS increased his volume/percentage considerably throughout the years, which made him a bigger threat on that end but we all know it was his defense that got him on the court.

Green's weakness isn't the offense to me. With more volume he'd already average 10+ PPG. It's that he's tasked with guarding the other teams best guard, is in 100 ball screens, and screen navigation is his weakest skill. He's improved every year, so I see nothing that makes me think he won't get that figured out soon. Yes, DJJ is a better POA defender than Green right now, he's 4 years older and that matters, but Green held his own against "the next MJ" last series and has the tools to be the perfect compliment to Luka for the next 8-10 years.

You said it feels like he isn't playing much in the playoffs but he's played in all 17 games, averaging 18 MPG and had the best DefRTG on the team in the WCF... At age 23.