Spurs swingman Danny Green will likely forgo free agency and exercise the 2018/19 player option on his current contract, league sources tell Jabari Young of The San Antonio Express-News. The option would pay Green a $10MM salary for next season.
Green, who will celebrate his 31st birthday on Friday, has been a mainstay in San Antonio’s lineup for years, averaging between 23 and 29 minutes per game for the franchise every season since 2011/12. In 70 games in 2017/18, Green averaged 8.6 PPG and 3.6 RPG with a shooting line of .387/.363/.769.
Although Green profiles as a three-and-D wing, his ability to knock down outside shots has wavered a little in recent years. He has converted just 35.7% of his three-point attempts over the last three seasons, after hitting 42.3% in the four years prior to that.
Given his modest numbers, Green isn’t viewed as a lock to match or exceed his $10MM salary on the open market, particularly since league-wide spending is expected to be tighter in 2018 than it was the last two summers. League sources tell Young that Green is more likely to see offers in the mid-level range ($5-8MM) if he opts out.
If Green exercises his player option, it would further reduce the Spurs’ odds of opening up cap room this offseason. The club would have about $88.4MM in guaranteed salaries on its books counting Green’s deal. That figure doesn’t include cap charges for free agents Tony Parker and Kyle Anderson, or for Rudy Gay and Joffrey Lauvergne, who also hold player options — Gay is expected to opt out.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Green is getting old and slower.
Not surprised. He was at my kid’s Spurs camp this week. He was never going to leave…
Modest numbers… That is very very generous, cannot see how he could get 10+MM a year seriously.
I don’t think the numbers are everything with Green, since he’s a defense-first player and everyone’s stats seem to dip a little on the Spurs. But yeah, they’re pretty “modest.”
It was funny today – he was doing a Q&A with the kids and started out by saying “I have no idea what’s going on with the Kawhi situation.” He must’ve seen the darts the kids were about to throw at him.
I think his offensive numbers would increase away from the Spurs, who are more unsettled than they used to be. This affects his shot. But that theory will not be tested here (opting in).