Sixers 2021 Report Cards – Danny Green

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Starting in 69 games and playing the second-most minutes on the team, Danny Green filled the needed role of a veteran presence on the Sixers.

“Mr. Three-Rings” proved to provide the on-court spacing solution and helped lead the Sixers to their first-place finish in the regular season. His injury in the first quarter of game three against the Hawks ended Green’s season, and his absence was felt during the disappointing second-round injury.

The 34-year-old first game to the Sixers during one of Morey’s first moves after taking control of the Sixers. The franchise was freed from the $100+ million they owed Al Horford, along with a 2025 first-round pick and a 2020 second-round pick in order to get back Danny Green, Terrance Ferguson, and Vincent Poirier. Green came into Philly on a positive note and has kept this tune as he recently agreed to a two-year $20 million extension.

Last Season

In his lone season with the Sixers to date, Danny Green averaged 9.5 points and shot 40.5 percent from deep. Despite being in his 12th year in the league, Green had a statistically improved season in just about every category. The three-time champ ended last season ranking 17th in made three-pointers (175), 13th in steals (92), and 11th in defensive rating (107.6).

A guy who has become the model for a three-and-D wing, Danny Green is a seamless fit on any contending team, and this proved to be the case last year. He was the most willing shooter in the Sixers’ starting lineup and shot a career-high 6.3 three-point attempts last season.

It was extremely disappointing when Green suffered a calf strain in the playoffs and was forced to remainder of the Sixers series. In the 109 playoff minutes that Green did play with the Sixers’ starters, the team outscored opponents by 39.7 points per 100 possessions. While it still isn’t likely the team would have had enough in the tank to compete with the Bucks or Suns, the Sixers may very well have beaten the Hawks if it was not for Danny Green’s injury.

Looking Ahead:

It was unclear if Danny Green would be returning to the Sixers or not for the beginning of free agency. He had one year left on his contract when they elected to trade for him, and Green also had some questionable comments surrounding Philadelphia after the playoff exit.

Despite this, the Sixers signed the shooting guard to a fairly team-friendly deal which will keep him here for the next two years. While it is certain that Danny Green has lost a step or since his prime, he is a great guy to continue to have around. There were some questions about his usage in the postseason (like why leave him on an island against Trae Young to start the Hawks series), but Green has lived up to his performance expectations since coming to Philly.

Grade and Future Outlook: B+

The veteran sniper has earned a B+ for his first year as a member of the Sixers. Alongside Seth Curry, Danny Green helped the Sixers solve their spacing issues in a major way. Daryl Morey was quick to point out how impressive the starting unit was earlier this offseason:

It is tough to project who he will be playing alongside next year, but it should be looked at as a major positive that Danny Green is back. He is a seamless fit on any contending team, and there is always a need for the role he plays. Look for him to build off his impressive first year and continue knocking down threes and creating space for others this season.