Following the news of Kawhi Leonard’s free-agency decision, the Los Angles Lakers quickly pivoted and signed Danny Green. Let’s take a look at this signing in more detail.
After news broke of superstar forward Kawhi Leonard’s intentions to sign with the Los Angeles Clippers, the Los Angeles Lakers moved quickly to their back-up plan, signing shooting guard Danny Green to a two-year/$30 million deal.
Green had been eagerly waiting on Kawhi’s decision before making his own, so it’s no surprise that he announced his decision shortly after Kawhi made his.
Given the circumstances, signing Green was the best possible move the Lakers could’ve made. He provides the team with a legitimate two-way shooting guard option, capable of knocking down threes and guarding opposing wings. All while keeping a low usage rate in the process.
Last season Green was one of the league’s best three-point shooters in terms of efficiency, shooting 45.5%, good for second in the league behind Joe Harris.
Not only does Green provide invaluable floor spacing, he also just makes the team better overall. Let’s take a look at some on/off numbers for Green. These numbers come courtesy of CleaningTheGlass and ESPN.
- The Raptors had a +12.6 point differential with Green on the floor.
- The team also had a +6.9 eFG% with Green on the floor.
- Defensively, opposing teams averaged -4.8 points with Green on the floor.
- Green ranked 1st amongst shooting guards in RPM in the 2018-2019 season.
In addition to his tangible contributions, Green also brings a boatload of playoff and Finals experience. He is by all accounts a great locker-room presence. Also, he is a player that knows exactly what is expected him and doesn’t try to do more than what is asked of him.
Green was one of, if not the best remaining free-agent on the market. He’s the prototypical 3&D wing that is so highly coveted in today’s NBA and will be a perfect fit next to the superstar tandem of Anthony Davis and LeBron James
Laker fans should be ecstatic about this signing, as the team recovered in a positive way in the face of limited options. The signing of Danny Green deserves a solid A+ in my opinion. The price may seem a little steep for a player like Green, but with the Dallas Mavericks as a potential suitor, the Lakers had to do all they could to sign an impact player with their cap-space.