Toronto Raptors Player Previews: ‘Glue-Guy’ Danny Green “excited” for Toronto chapter

Strengths

Green may not be the player he was a few seasons ago, back in 2014-15 when he averaged 11.7 points-per-game. That same year, Green posted an offensive rating of 114, the highest of his career. The three seasons to follow saw his ORtg regress — dipping to 99 in 2015-16, 103 in 2016-17, and 100 in 2017-18.

In Toronto, while Green will undoubtedly be counted on to stick open shots when they come his way. He won’t need to mimic Stephen Curry or Klay Thompson to ensure the Raptors’ success. He just needs to be solid.

Toronto is undisputedly a better team than they were a season ago and their biggest conference “roadblock” moved to Los Angeles this offseason.

For his career, Green averages 3.6 made threes per 100 possessions and last season the former Spur converted 3.3 threes per 100 possessions. Removing small-sample outliers from the equation, that would have put Green fourth on the 2017-18 Raptors, trailing only C.J. Miles (6.0), Kyle Lowry (4.7), and Fred VanVleet (3.5). Whether he winds up starting or coming off the bench, Green’s role in Toronto’s offense won’t differ all that much.

Defensively, Green represents a major upgrade. Despite all the praise DeMar DeRozan received during his time in Toronto — all of which was deserved, don’t get me wrong — he never fully committed to playing a two-way game.

Admittedly, he most certainly is not alone in his preference for offense over defense. Regardless, a leader is most effective when they put forth maximum effort on both sides of the ball…Green does just that. And no, I am not saying Danny Green is a better player than DeMar DeRozan.

A successful campaign up north will see the team’s newly acquired father figure maintain a ~.400 conversion rate from three for the duration of the season, limiting the extended cold spells that plagued the likes of C.J. Miles a year ago in the process. Down the other end of the floor, it should be business as usual for Green, assuming a major role for what should be a top-5 defensive team.

A career spent almost entirely in “stable” San Antonio, Green will be counted on to be one of the team’s emotional leaders.