NBA Trade Rumors: 10 Reasons the OKC Thunder Should Trade Jeff Green
Jeff Green is a solid player for the Oklahoma City Thunder. Green is the third wheel in the Thunder’s big three, which includes Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook.
But has Green developed into the player we imagined he would be in his fourth NBA season?
No, and that’s why Oklahoma City should pursue a trade where they can acquire a more consistent scoring, and better defensive power forward.
Green is a good player, but nothing in his four years suggests he has the makings of a superstar.
He has good range as an offensive scorer, but he has droughts where he finds it difficult to score, and also finds guarding taller, longer power forwards a challenge.
The Thunder should be able to get a nice package in return for Green, who is still very young, and is not an injury concern.
Do you think Jeff Green should be dealt by the trading deadline? Let’s look at 10 reasons OKC should trade him.
Green is too Inconsistent Offensively
1 of 10
Jeff Green is a career 14.2 points per game scorer, which is decent for a starting player.
However that’s not what you’d expect from a young power forward with the potential Green has.
With Green’s talents as a good long distance and mid range shooter, he should score close to 20 points every night.
With teammates Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook receiving most of the opponent’s attention on defense, Green should score more from just getting multiple wide open shots alone.
In the playoffs last year vs. the Los Angeles Lakers, Phil Jackson admitted to designing his defense to make Jeff Green beat his Lakers.
Green was unable to improve his scoring, or contain Pau Gasol as the Lakers beat the Thunder in six games.
Green’s Rebounding is Far too Weak
2 of 10
Jeff Green averages fewer rebounds than most starting power forwards, and is near the bottom in rebounds per game by starting forwards on playoff contending teams.
A career 5.8 rebounds per game player, Green is averaging 5.6 so far this season.
With Oklahoma City’s lack of a dominating center, both offensively and defensively, Green must become a better rebounder.
At 6’9” tall, Green is an undersized power forward. While this shouldn’t detract from him becoming a better rebounder, his height is an issue.
Charles Barkley was perhaps the best rebounding forward ever, and he used his body to get great positioning to make up for his lack of height.
Green just doesn’t have those skills, or the tenacity and passion to grab rebounds like Barkley.
Green’s Defense Has Been Poor this Season
3 of 10
Defense is not a strength of Jeff Green’s game, but for the Thunder to be successful they need to become better defensively, both individually and as a team.
Serge Ibaka is the only real shot blocking presence the Thunder have, so Green must be better defensively to help alleviate the defensive pressure on Ibaka.
Teams know they can drive to the basket on OKC, and not have to worry about getting their shots blocked.
Green has a career average of 0.6 blocks per game, and 0.9 steals per game, both are pathetic for a starting forward of his caliber.
Green is Never Going to be a Superstar
4 of 10
The selection of Jeff Green was not a bad pick for the Thunder at the 2007 NBA Draft.
Green was selected for the Thunder by the Celtics, in the deal that involved Ray Allen going from the Sonics (before the franchise was in Oklahoma City) to Boston.
Green came into the NBA with great potential as a fabulous all around player, but has not lived up to the hype in now his fourth season as a pro.
His improvement has been so minimal the last few seasons that you could say he will never be a superstar type of player.
He by no means is a bust, but he’s failed to live up to the quality that general managers expect when they draft a player with a top five overall selection.
Green would make a solid starter for most teams, but he cannot be the first, second, and even third option both offensively and defensively for a contending team.
Serge Ibaka Needs to Start to Improve
5 of 10
Jeff Green’s possible departure from Oklahoma City would allow young and athletic center Serge Ibaka to start.
Ibaka would become the new starting power forward for the Thunder, and while he lacks Green’s scoring abilities, he would instantly improve the starting five’s defensive and rebounding components.
Ibaka needs more playing time to improve as an offensive player. His athletic talents allow him to be a good defensive player in the middle, but learning an offensive post game takes time.
Ibaka needs touches at the offensive end in the halfcourt to work on this part of his repertoire, not just catch alley oops and dunk in traffic.
Green’s scoring would be a necessary blow to the OKC starting lineup, because Ibaka’s improvement offensively would be a far greater plus for the future.
Oklahoma City Needs More Depth in the Frontcourt
6 of 10
Trading Jeff Green could allow the Thunder to acquire more depth up front. If Serge Ibaka were to miss significant time late in the season, the interior defense of the Thunder would be severely weakened.
Team leader Nick Collison has had a poor, inconsistent season, and Nenad Krstic is not an imposing defender.
Adding some defensive depth would make sense for Oklahoma City, since they already have plenty of scoring.
Last year’s Thunder were a very good defensive team, but now that they’re regarded as an elite team, opponents are giving the young Thunder they’re best effort each night.
Defense wins in the NBA, just look at the Boston Celtics. OKC needs to acquire a forward(s) with better rebounding and shot blocking skills.
Oklahoma City Needs Cap Space to Sign Russell Westbrook Long Term
7 of 10
Jeff Green is in the final year of his contract, but has a qualifying offer for the 2011-12 season.
Unless he’s willing to sign a long term deal for the same money, which is highly unlikely, the Thunder will probably let him go.
Russell Westbrook is signed through 2011-12, and has an option for the 2012-13 season.
While it may be a bit early to give Westbrook an extension now, even though he’s fully deserved it, players will want to renew their contracts before the end of this season.
With the new CBA likely to include smaller player salaries which will, among many things, help smaller market teams keep small players.
This is why Carmelo Anthony wants a trade now, so he can sign an extension now, under the current CBA which will allow him to make more money than if he waited until the summer to sign a new contract.
Trading Green for players with expiring deals, or smaller deals, will give OKC the option of re-signing Westbrook ling term if he demands that, or sign a marquee free agent under the new CBA in the summer.
Oklahoma City Could Get Lots of Value for Jeff Green in a Trade
8 of 10
Jeff Green is a solid player, and the type of player that may put a contending team over the top.
The Denver Nuggets, Phoenix Suns, Indiana, and Memphis are all contending teams that could use Green’s versatility as an outside shooter and post player.
Green’s long range shooting would open up driving lanes for players such as Steve Nash of Phoenix, Danny Granger of Indiana, and OJ Mayo of Memphis.
The Thunder could acquire proven talent to help the team right away, or acquire first round draft picks that could be used to trade for an established veteran.
Jeff Green is too Undersized to Start at Power Forward
9 of 10
At 6’ 9” tall, Green is too undersized to start at power forward for one of the best teams in the western conference.
Green struggles finishing around the rim against stronger defenders with more length.
Players such as Dirk Nowtizki, Pau Gasol, LeMarcus Aldridge, and Tim Duncan all have their way with Green in the post.
Green averages fewer than seven rebounds per game when he plays over 40 minutes in a game, which is awful for a position that the Thunder rely on for defense and rebounding.
Oklahoma City lacks a gritty, dirty work type of player around the basket, a player of the Anderson Varejao mold.
Every team needs a player like that in order to win a championship, and the Thunder are currently void of that aspect.
Oklahoma City is in Win-Now Mode
10 of 10
The Thunder are not in a position to wait for Jeff Green to develop into a superstar.
Despite being full of young talent, Oklahoma City is in win-now mode. Green is not a player that will make the Thunder a much better team than they are currently, and he is not a player who will dominate in the postseason.
Green is also not a primary scoring option when Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook are both struggling.
If the Thunder can trade Green before the trade deadline, they can allow the new incoming players to gel right away with the current roster.
If the Thunder wait until the summer to trade Green, the value could be worse, and the team’s chemistry will be damaged from the start of the 2011-12 season.
Trading Jeff Green is the best way for the Oklahoma City Thunder to improve now and for the future.
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