AROUND the NBA: Pat Bev Suspended 4 Games Next Season| PHX Fires Vogel

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I thought he would settle into a role once he got paid, and maybe he still will. Shrug. I want him to figure some things out, because he's fast, can handle, can shoot and plays hard.

I'm the last Josh Green believer on the board.  I acknowledge he has been bad this season thus far.  However, I think he was a plus defender as recently as....last season.  He also hit over 40 % from 3 last season.  That's clearly the two most important ingredients to what we need on the wing playing next to Luka and Kyrie.  

I think it's possible that his game has suffered due to a lingering injury.  He injured his right elbow initially last December and missed a lot of games last season with that.  He missed games this summer in FIBA due to a reaggravation of the same injury.  He's currently out with pain to the same elbow.

Last December, he described it as the result of a play where he tried to steal the ball from Grayson Allen.  Josh said "my elbow kind of got stuck in Grayson Allen's arm, kind of like an arm lock."  He said he couldn't shoot immediately after that.  

The Mavs have never given details about what exactly the injury is other than a "sprain".  Chronic elbow issues don't seem like a typical long-term injury in the NBA but this particular one seems to have affected Josh at least intermittently for more than a year.   He had never missed time in the NBA for an injury prior to this elbow situation.

I think it's possible that its affecting his game especially as he is right-handed.  I think it may make him reluctant to fight through screens on defense.  It would definitely affect his shot.

His poor decision making on offense is independent of the elbow issue.  I hope that improves with coaching and experience.  

Josh Green still has the potential to be a good starter if he can improve somewhat on last season's performance.  He doesn't need to shoot a lot to have a positive impact.  As everyone has already pointed out, he needs to take open 3 pointers when he has the opportunity, play smarter on defense and stop making jump passes on offense when he drives to the basket and can't shoot at the rim.  Dante Exum took many years to become the player he is today.  Maybe Aussies just need more time to develop into elite role players?  Also, he needs two good elbows.