In the shadow of the trade that sent Klay Thompson to Dallas about ten days ago, Josh Green has for his part headed to Charlotte, where he will begin a new chapter in his career.
After four seasons in the Mavs jersey, the Australian international expressed his enthusiasm at the idea of joining the Hornets, where a whole new page will also be written with new owners (Rick Schnall and Gabe Plotkin), a new coach (Charles Lee) and therefore new players of which he is part to support the trio LaMelo Ball – Miles Bridges – Brandon Miller.
“They’re such a young, high-tempo team, and I think I’m able to thrive in transition, holding the ball, defending and continuing to develop my game. I’m still a young guy. It was fun to be around older guys in Dallas and learn from them, and to be able to carry that over to Charlotte, coming in with a winning mindset and being ready to go all out.”he said from Abu Dhabi where he is preparing to face Team USA this Monday.
At the Hornets, Josh Green sees himself fitting in perfectly with the playing philosophy that Charles Lee wants to implement, in line with the profile of his major players, with a lot of rhythm and intensity on both sides of the floor.
“There are so many talented players in the NBA that I think you have to be able to find a way to make a difference in areas that can impact games.”he continued. “I feel like energy plays a big part in the game. I’m always more than happy to bring energy defensively. Offensively, it can be anything from being physical to finding the open guy. I feel like I’m at my best when I can get my teammates involved. Honestly, it makes the game a lot more fun.”
NBA Finals and Olympics to gain experience
At 23 years old, the winger will almost be a manager with his 233 NBA regular season games under his belt and 39 playoff games played. He also comes out of an invaluable experience after having lived in the NBA finals with the Mavs for the first time in his career. History will also remember that in the opposing camp in Boston, was the one who would become his future coach, Charles Lee, then assistant to Joe Mazzulla.
“It was an incredible experience, especially against coach Lee”he added. “But I think I learned a lot in terms of pressure and preparation before the final. I feel like I've improved a lot as a player in certain situations. And then, I really want to go back. So I'm very motivated and very excited.”
In Charlotte, everything seems ideal to facilitate his integration, notably with the presence of his former teammate Grant Williams, and also the prospect of playing with LaMelo Ball, drafted in 2019, like him.
“Melo and I are coming out of the same draft. He’s a very talented player. He gets everyone involved, he’s a great passer. We think we have the ability to be a fast-paced team, and that’s a fun way to play. So I’m looking forward to it. I like to defend all over the court and try to be physical on defense and focus on my defensive duties.”
| Josh Green | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | LF | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2020-21 | DAL | 39 | 11 | 45.2 | 16.0 | 56.5 | 0.7 | 1.3 | 2.0 | 0.7 | 0.9 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 2.6 |
| 2021-22 | DAL | 67 | 16 | 50.8 | 35.9 | 68.9 | 0.8 | 1.6 | 2.4 | 1.2 | 1.7 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 4.8 |
| 2022-23 | DAL | 60 | 26 | 53.7 | 40.2 | 72.3 | 0.9 | 2.1 | 3.0 | 1.7 | 2.6 | 0.7 | 1.2 | 0.1 | 9.1 |
| 2023-24 | DAL | 57 | 26 | 47.9 | 38.5 | 68.4 | 0.7 | 2.5 | 3.2 | 2.3 | 1.9 | 0.8 | 1.1 | 0.2 | 8.2 |
| Total | 223 | 20 | 50.3 | 37.5 | 68.9 | 0.8 | 1.9 | 2.7 | 1.5 | 1.9 | 0.7 | 0.9 | 0.1 | 6.4 | |
How to read the stats? GM = Games Played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Shots Made / Shots Attempted; 3pts = 3-pointers / 3-pointers Attempted; LF = Free Throws Made / Free Throws Attempted; Off = Offensive Rebound; Def = Defensive Rebound; Tot = Total Rebounds; Pd = Assists; Fte: Personal Fouls; Int = Steals; Bp = Loose Balls; Ct: Blocks; Pts = Points.
