The definition of a star or superstar in the NBA is usually that of the lead ball handler who controls most of every aspect of the half-court offense. advantage.
All others that do not contain all of these skills are considered one or two levels down in the role hierarchy. People often refer to them as “role players”. But a good role player who considers himself essential usually warrants a much better time and position than the ‘average’ complementary talent.
of boston celticsAl Horford recently earned a two-year, $19.5 million contract extension for being that key high-level role player. He can really do everything a modern big man should be able to do: acting as a connector and passing hub, clearing up space on the floor, making defenses reconsider keeping him open, and versatility in schemes. You can defend yourself in challenging environments.
Horford obtained an extension midway through the season as his contract was about to expire. Sure, the Celtics have a history of extending players midseason — the Warriors typically don’t. If anything, they give players extensions before the season starts, as evidenced by the offers they made to Jordan Poole and Andrew Wiggins.
When the Warriors chose not to offer Draymond Green a similar package, many see it as Green’s final dance with the organization that drafted and nurtured him for the better part of a decade. I thought it might be.Considering what happened during NBA Finals And in the offseason—declining offensive production and drama surrounding greens and pools—that possibility was becoming a not-too-distant reality.
At a time when many thought Green was unthinkable, disposable and replaceable, Green did what he always did when faced with doubt.
If Horford — a good basketball player but historically viewed as two notches below Green in terms of ability — is deemed worthy of a new contract, the Warriors will be prevented from extending the same gesture to Green. What are you in?
Of course, the answer to that is much more complicated. The Warriors are bogged down in a luxury tax, with penalties increasing exponentially each season. Paying what Green wants is arguably far more than what Horford received, and of course makes the already exorbitant tax bill even more unacceptable.
But considering all of the above Horford earned his extension. Also, consider the fact that Green does everything Horford does at a much higher level.
Green isn’t just a defender that’s flexible with tricks. teeth Warriors defensive plan.
Much of what the Warriors can do in their defensive bank is based on Green’s versatility and intelligence. As holes were successively made in an attempt to sink the boat, he was consistently there, plugging hole after hole.
It’s no absolute surprise to anyone that the Warriors improved by 5.8 points per 100 possessions on defense with Green on the floor. They are the best in the league in terms of opponent rim rates, and Green has been a big part of their prominence in walling up the paint and sending back attempts to score close.
His understanding of positioning and verticality is a rare trait in the NBA, but one that is often underestimated. Regal In a league where the lines between his contest and fouls are becoming increasingly blurred, Green’s defensive reputation and his set of skills are very valuable commodities.
Given his streak of work over the past decade, Green has a pretty big argument for being considered the best defender of this generation. What an NBA star should be.
Green hasn’t averaged double-digit scoring since the 2017-18 season. In the Kevin Durant era, his scoring drop was justified in the sense that he didn’t have to score as much. He had Durant, Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson do it.
But in this post-Durant era, Green’s need to serve as a complementary scoring threat is once again in the spotlight. Twenty-something athleticism that seemed to take a hit when he entered — Green continues to show that he’s finding ways to make himself an offensive centerpiece.
Most of them are classic short roll looks against disadvantaged opponents.
Passing is the most important currency for the Warriors’ offense. More specifically, passing in the context of bridging the gap between playmaking/decision making and scoring drives their offense.
Most crimes use the terms “transit hub” and “connector” loosely. Green is arguably the ultimate embodiment of what these terms truly mean. Without him, the Warriors’ trademark off-ball movement and flow wouldn’t exist.
The ability to organize teammates on both ends of the floor, coupled with passing and high-level decision-making, allowed Green to rescue a second unit that was on the verge of collapse. A lineup that includes Poole, Donte Di Vincenzo, Andrew Wiggins, and Anthony Lamb outscores opponents with 4.5 points per 100 possessions in his 44 recorded possessions. Replacing Wiggins with Jonathan Kuminga has been even more effective, outscoring opponents with a staggering 72.7 points per 100 possessions despite his very small sample size of 22 possessions.
It was once unthinkable for Green to be minutes away from Curry, but now he keeps the team afloat whenever Curry is on the bench. Eliminating low-leverage situations (i.e. wasted time), Green spent a total of 61 minutes without Curry by his side — the Warriors 11.2 points per 100 possessed for those few minutes.
While his value on some level remains tied to that of his partnership with Curry, Green makes an ironclad claim as an integral part of the Warriors’ success. Without him, the team would struggle to find a suitable replacement. It can be argued that there is never a good substitute for what green can bring, either from within the organization through youth development or by acquiring someone through trade or free agency.
I don’t know what a star is if that’s not the definition of “star”. Green can’t simply be replaced — it might be time to start paying him what he wants so the Warriors don’t have to.
