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The Cleveland Cavaliers have officially signed Danny Green after his buyout with the Houston Rockets cleared. And for Cleveland, Green’s arrival couldn’t come at a better time.
That’s especially true if one glances over at the schedule. Tonight, the Cavaliers take on the Philadelphia 76ers, Green’s former team and the last one he played any meaningful minutes with. In Green’s prior stint, the Memphis Grizzlies, the three-time champ was mostly rehabbing from an ACL tear last May.
And according to Tom Withers of the Associated Press, Green will be in Philadelphia for tonight’s game against the Sixers:
Whether Green will actually suit up remains to be seen. Though Green projects to be a solid addition to the Cavs (he shot 39.5% from three in two seasons with Philadelphia), it’s not so simple as just throwing him out on the floor.
Bickerstaff Reveals Cavs’ Plan for Green
Any rotation additions or subtractions threaten to upset the delicate balance that head coach JB Bickerstaff has struck over the last two weeks. Since the calendar flipped to February, the Cavaliers are undefeated, a complete 180-flip from January’s turbulence.
Given Green’s recent injury history and the Cavs’ recent form, it makes sense for Cleveland to bring Green along slowly.
After all, Green’s addition is one clearly geared toward the playoffs; Green brings to Lake Erie a lengthy playoff resume. That experience should pay off in spades for a locker room high on elite talent but low on high-stakes experience.
Bickerstaff noted this was a serious consideration in how the Cavs plan to use Green.
“We will be very ginger with [how the Cavs integrate Green into the rotation] because we do not want to disrupt the rhythm of what these guys are finding right now,” Bickerstaff noted to Chris Fedor of cleveland.com.
Ultimately, Green’s floor spacing should be a major boon for the Cavaliers. In the team’s best-case scenario, he’s able to slide into the wing spot if Issac Okoro’s solid form of late deteriorates.
And if you ask Donovan Mitchell, Green’s value as a sharpshooter will certainly come in handy.
“But I think the first thing you think of is his way to space to the floor, but also his veteran presence around the locker room, calming presence, great personality. But when he gets in, he is a sniper, especially in big-time situations,” Mitchell noted, per Kelsey Russo of The Athletic.
Altman Defends Cavs’ Quiet Deadline
Though Cleveland did land Green via free agency, the Cavaliers were one of just two NBA franchises that didn’t make a single deadline move.
After the fact, GM Koby Altman defended the Cavs’ quiet deadline.
“Just from a trade standpoint, we just didn’t feel like anything was going to really move the needle for us,” Altman said in a press conference Thursday, according to Kelsey Russo of The Athletic. “I think you guys know me well enough to know I scoured the market and talked to every team I could.”
Another factor likely hindering Cleveland’s trade deadline plans was the lack of meaningful assets. After unloading a bevy of picks to the Utah Jazz to land Mitchell this summer, Cleveland was light on draft capital and would have likely been forced to move Isaac Okoro for any appreciable upgrade.
In Green, however, the Cavs will get a player who can help them compete now. And with any luck, his veteran presence will be felt on the sidelines tonight against the Sixers.
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