Danny Green and Kawhi Leonard have been intricately linked together since joining the Toronto Raptors last year. Should the Raptors re-sign Green if Leonard sticks around this offseason?
When the Toronto Raptors traded for Kawhi Leonard in the summer of 2018, Danny Green was thrown in as a sweetener for the Raptors. Or just as a sign of good faith. Whatever it was, the San Antonio Spurs might be ruing their decision to include Green in the trade that saw them obtain a four-time All-Star in DeMar DeRozan and a young and ever-improving Jakob Poeltl, along with a first-round pick.
To say Green worked out well in Toronto would be an understatement of the highest order. Averaging 10.3 points, four rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game, Green put up his best offensive production since the 2014-15 season when he averaged a career-high 11.7 points per game.
A consistent perimeter defender, as well as one of the leading three-point shooters in the regular season, Danny Green endeared himself to the Raptors faithful early on, nailing a game-winner against the Orlando Magic in November.
As the season progressed, Green’s production didn’t slow down. The Raptors had an excellent 3-and-D guard that also had a penchant for great transition defense. A bond was born and Danny Green became a leader for the Raptors.
The season culminated in the Raptors first ever NBA championship, Green’s second. Offensively, he was inconsistent in the postseason. Green averaged 6.9 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.1 assists in the playoffs, shooting 32-percent from three.
Defensively, though, Green was a constant presence for the Raptors, helping shut down Steph Curry throughout the Finals. Despite the inconsistencies, the Raptors wouldn’t have won the title without Green.
Green, like Kawhi Leonard, is pegged to be a free agent this year. The difference being Danny Green didn’t have a player-option to reject to get there.
If Kawhi Leonard does stick around in Toronto, expect his contract to be a shorter deal with an option. For argument’s sake, Kawhi re-signs in Toronto and takes a two-year deal with a player option for the second year.
At this point, that seems entirely plausible. The Raptors are one of the more experienced teams in the NBA, with an average age of 27.5 years old. A large contingent of the roster are towards the latter end of the aging curve and the Raptors can only contend for a few more years with this particular core.
They would remain as immediate contenders if the best player in the NBA decides to re-sign with the team on July 1.
Which leads us to the main thesis of this article: Should the Toronto Raptors re-sign Danny Green if Kawhi Leonard stays?
In short; yes.
But to divulge more into the reasoning behind that answer, let’s really consider the benefits of Green re-signing in Toronto.
First of all, the Raptors probably won’t be able to find a more valuable two-way guard in free agency. Mainly because there aren’t many two-way guards in the league more valuable than Green, let alone in this particular free agency pool.
The list of shooting guards who offer more on both ends of the court is pretty limited. Sure, Green can’t attack off the dribble much anymore, but when you have three other starters in Leonard, Kyle Lowry, and Pascal Siakam that doesn’t present itself as much of a concern.
Green offers you a career-average of 40-percent from downtown, well above the league average. That’s a model of consistency you won’t find in many players unless you are the starting backcourt for the Golden State Warriors or Jason Kapono (yes, I’m aware of the limited attempts, it’s a joke).
Not to sound hyperbolic, but Green probably goes down as one of the best shot-blocking guards in NBA history when all is said and done. He’s averaged 0.8 blocks per game and is routinely trapping lay-ups against the backboard in transition.
Even as he’s recently turned 32-years of age (happy belated birthday, Danny) Green is still able to run the court with the best of them. A lengthy guard who knows where to position himself, Green held would-be shooters from three to a stifling 30-percent from deep in the playoffs on over five attempts per game. The term lockdown defender gets thrown a lot and the shine of the term has worn off, somewhat, but the numbers speak for themselves.
Something that is probably worth mentioning is the practicality of Green’s contract. He’s going to be an in-demand player this offseason and could be paid as such. If the Raptors are desperate to keep him — and they should be — they’ll probably look to offer him a one or two-year deal, looking to match his cap alongside Kawhi’s.
The Raptors re-signing Green serves to the purpose that they’re all in once again this upcoming season. They’ll deal with the effects of the luxury tax, sure, but they retain a key player. One that helped them win their first ever NBA title.
Re-signing Kawhi Leonard is paramount to the Raptors success, but don’t forget how valuable Danny Green was to this team. Hopefully, we see him in a Raptors uniform next season.