Getty Javonte Green
The Chicago Bulls‘ Javonte Green has been a stud through the team’s first three preseason games. He’s admirably played the power forward position in place of the injured Patrick Williams averaging 7.6 points, 6 rebounds, 1.6 steals and 2 blocked shots per game.
It’s just preseason, but Green has done this while playing just 16.6 minutes per game.
With Williams likely coming back to the starting lineup for the Bulls’ preseason finale against the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday night, the question is, where does that leave Green? According to one NBA analytics publication called NBA Math as an “end-of-the-bench piece.”
Javonte Green Not Projected to Play a Huge Role, Per NBA Math
NBA Math is sports stats website that creates formulas that the publication has designed to generate results and categories for players from the past and present.
In the site’s “Crystal Ball Ranking” it uses a system that projects the impact each player will have on their team. The highest rating is a 12 with the lowest being 1. Here is how this works:
- Shouldn’t Get Minutes
- End-of-Bench Pieces
- Depth Pieces
- High-End Backups
- Low-End Starters
- Solid Starters
- High-End Starters, Non-All-Stars
- All-Star Candidates
- All-NBA Candidates, Non-MVP Candidates
- Lesser MVP Candidates
- MVP Frontrunners
- Best Player in the League (only one player could earn this grade on each ballot)
That seems easy enough, so here’s how NBA Math categorized every player on the Bulls roster. notice where Green ranks:
Shouldn’t Get Minutes: 1.00 to 1.49
- T19. Tyler Cook: 1.29 (0.26 down)
- T19. Ethan Thompson: 1.29 (not previously graded)
End-of-Bench Pieces: 1.50 to 2.49
- 18. Marko Simonovic: 1.71 (not previously graded)
- 17. Devon Dotson: 2.13 (0.13 up)
- 16. Daniel Oturu: 2.14 (0.37 up)
- 15. Ayo Dosunmu: 2.29 (not previously graded)
- 14. Javonte Green: 2.29 (0.54 up)
- 13. Stanley Johnson: 2.38 (0.08 down)
Depth Pieces: 2.50 to 3.49
- 12. Matt Thomas: 2.5 (0.12 down)
- 11. Alize Johnson: 2.63 (0.32 up)
- 10. Tony Bradley: 3.0 (0.31 up)
- 9. Troy Brown: 3.25 (0.33 up)
- 8. Derrick Jones: 3.44 (0.18 down)
High-End Backups: 3.50 to 4.49
- 7. Coby White: 4.11 (0.04 down)
Low-End Starters: 4.50 to 5.49
- 6. Alex Caruso: 4.78 (0.21 up)
- 5. Patrick Williams: 5.0 (0.77 up)
Solid Starters: 5.50 to 6.49
- 4. Lonzo Ball: 6.11 (0.03 up)
High-End Starters: 6.50 to 7.49
- 3. DeMar DeRozan: 6.67 (0.25 down)
- 2. Nikola Vucevic: 7.44 (0.41 down)
All-Star Candidates: 7.50 to 8.49
- Zach LaVine: 8.44 (0.29 up)
All-NBA Candidates: 8.50 to 9.49
None
Lesser MVP Candidates: 9.50 to 10.49
None
MVP Frontrunners: 10.50 to 12.00
None
It’s unclear when this created, but Green is slotted a category too low. He should be in the section titled: “depth pieces.”
Green’s defense, energy and athleticism should play well with the Bulls’ playmakers throughout the season. It would be crazy to watch him play so well in at least two of the team’s preseason games only to become an “end-of-the-bench piece” once the regular season starts.
Also, LaVine isn’t at least an All-NBA candidate? If the Bulls win between 45 and 50 games this upcoming season, we don’t think that he would be a strong candidate to make All-NBA Third Team?
What Patrick Williams Must Do to Be an Upgrade Over Javonte Green
Williams is bigger than Green and a better shooter. If he’s going to step in for Green the promising 20-year-old must bring the same kind of energy on defense and on the glass.
As Stacey King said repeatedly, it felt like there were five Javonte’s out there at times. It needs to seem as though there at least four PWills.
On offense, Williams needs to take open threes when they’re there while attacking closeouts with decisive drives to make sure he’s putting pressure on the opposing defense. If that happens, the Bulls could be even better than they looked during the first three preseason games.