Danny Green may be retired from playing in the NBA, but the basketball lifer is as busy as ever post career. One of only four players in NBA history to win championships with three different teams, the newly retired vet appears on television nightly giving you his insights into the game of basketball as a television analyst over at ESPN and NBA TV.
In addition to his analyst role, the former North Carolina Tar Heel is also doing some color commentary duties for the Los Angeles Lakers’ G-League team, the South Bay Lakers.
Green was a key member of the Lakers’ 2020 Championship team that finished as a top seed in the NBA’s Western Conference and ultimately defeated a Jimmy Butler-led Miami Heat team in the NBA Finals. Averaging 7.6 points, three rebounds and 1.1 assists per contest, Green was apart of a Lakers roster dream roster that included LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Kyle Kuzma, Dwight Howard and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.
2020 Lakers Had A Star-Studded Roster
With a team full of that much talent, many experts expected LA to continue their winning ways. Unfortunately key players would leave that team either via free agency or trade. As a result, it’s left many wondering: what if?
“The team wasn’t the same after,” Green shared.
“Guys went to different places and got traded so we weren’t able to run it back.”
Four years have passed since the Lakers won in the Bubble in Orlando. Since then the Milwaukee Bucks, Golden State Warriors, Denver Nuggets and Boston Celtics have all been crowned World Champions.
What if the Lakers stayed together? How many more would they have won?
“We spoke about this a couple times on Dwight Howard’s podcast and a bunch of other people’s podcasts,” said Green.
“He thinks we would’ve gotten a three-peat. I say we would’ve got two. I don’t know if we would’ve done three but I think for sure if that team would’ve stayed together, we could’ve gotten a second one.”
2024 Boston Celtics
While that Lakers team was special, Green is living in the present and he’s enjoying watching today’s NBA players. That said, when asked who the 2020 Lakers Championship team reminds him of, he was honest. “I would say Boston,” he shared.
“Everybody knows that pretty much talent-wise that they’re head and shoulders above everybody especially when healthy. They got Porziņģis. They are vulnerable at times, but they just have a really good team especially with their starting five and they have guys off the bench that can score and they’re so talented. You try to pick your poison with them, but even the ones that they’re very good at being role players; Jrue Holiday being a role player and Derrick White being a role player, they’re very good players, you know? Porziņģis being a role player. You got Al Horford coming off the bench. They just have a REALLY good group.”
Cleveland Cavaliers
While the Celtics are a well-oiled machine, Green is also paying attention to the Cleveland Cavaliers, a team that has started out hot so far this season. Green, who was Cleveland’s 46th overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft believes that the Cavs are brewing at the right time and it begins with coaching and cohesiveness. “They’ve been a good group,” Green shared.
“They’ve kept that group together for a couple of years; I just think the fact that they’re winning games with guys being out — the execution part of it and with a new coach and new coaching staff. So you’d figure that there would be some ups and downs, or lumps or a time period or phase where they need to figure it out but they’ve jumped right in it. Kenny Atkinson went in there and they all kind of meshed well. That usually takes some time but, I’m not surprised by how they’re performing. They’ve been a good regular season team for the last two years or so but the fact that they’re winning games with guys and resting guys at the same time.”
While it’s easy to call the Cleveland Cavaliers Donovan Mitchell’s Cavs, it’s actually lazy. The team is full of young talent and vets that are serious about winning. The reason the Cavs have owned the best record in the NBA for most of the season is because Mitchell’s presence has been a plus. Simply put: Cleveland doesn’t need to rely on Donovan Mitchell’s gravity to generate quality looks. “He hasn’t been a good leader,” says Danny Green.
“He’s been a GREAT leader. He’s not taking a back seat but, he’s letting other guys be themselves. He’s letting Darius [Garland] play his game. He’s allowing Evan [Mobley] to bring the ball up — I think that’s more of a ‘Kenny Atkinson’ thing by letting Evan bring the ball up. He’s not or ever was forcing the issue but he’s not worried about his numbers. He’s just playing out there and seeing who gets hot and he’s enjoying the winning and he’s taking more of a passenger seat at times.”
Evan Mobley Comparable to Anthony Davis? Chris Bosh?
As Green noted, Mobley has been consistent for the Cavs. The 6’11 forward/center’s presence has been felt on both sides of the basketball. On offense, he can face you up, post up, take you off the dribble and hit fadeaway jump shots. On defense he can lock up a top perimeter player and can also swat a shot with authority.
While Mobley isn’t a flashy player, he’s efficient and reliable.
Million Dollar Question: Who does Evan Mobley remind you of?
“When he first came in I thought he had a potential to be like an AD, Anthony Davis,” said Green.
“But he’s doing it a little differently now. He’s spreading the floor, shooting some 3’s, bringing the ball up… he can kind of now create his own lane because it’s too far of a stretch to call him Kevin Durant and him and Anthony Davis are a little bit different but he can kind of put himself in that same conversation as Anthony Davis.”
Some like Dallas Mavericks head coach, Jason Kidd have compared Mobley to Chris Bosh.
Green sees it and likes the comparison also. “Very much like him too,” he said.
“Very much like him as well. Chris Bosh is a VERY GOOD shooter. He has ways to become a Chris Bosh towards the end of his career. Chris Bosh became a really good 3-pt shooter at the end of his career.”
San Antonio Spurs, Wemby, CP3 & Stephon Castle
The San Antonio Spurs are a young team that has a balance of youth and one of their brightest talents on their roster is their 7 ‘3 center, Victor Wembanya.
A guard in a center’s body, the former No. 1 overall pick in last year’s NBA draft can post up, has crazy handles, blocks shots, hits fadeaway jumpers and rebounds the basketball. Some experts have pegged Wemby as a hybrid between Boston Celtics big man, Kristaps Porzingis, Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert and Phoenix Suns All Star, Kevin Durant.
“He had the attention coming in right away and high expectations and he’s exceeded my expectations,” Danny Green shared.
“He’s had a helluva rookie year. He started out a little slow at the beginning of this year but he’s picked it up and he’s playing very, very well and I can’t wait to see what he becomes. I am predicting Wemby to be a multi-year Defensive Player of the Year candidate and also the way he stretches the floor, he could be something we’ve never seen or ever seen again.”
Chris Paul and Stephon Castle are also key contributors on San Antonio’s roster. Green likes CP3 and Castle’s chemistry on court together. “I got a chance to watch it up close and it looked very good,” he shared.
“Stephon Castle was figuring it out and playing well and he’s learning from Chris Paul. Chris Paul was making big plays down the stretch and Wemby was as well. Chris was setting some screens for Wemby which is a rare thing to see for me, you know? A point guard or small guy setting screens for the big man and them playing the 2-man game? They’re playing well and we’ll see what’s to come in the near future for them.”
Cooper Flagg & Dylan Harper’s 2025 NBA Draft
Lastly, the 2025 NBA Draft class is projected to be one of the best in recent years.
Duke’s Cooper Flagg and Rutgers star Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey are noted as elite talent in that Draft Class.
In addition to being a scoring juggernaut who is dually a playmaker, Flagg’s defensive presence is also uncanny.
Harper, son of NBA champion Ron Harper, is an old soul on the basketball court and can hit big shots when it counts.
Green has watched both Flagg and Harper and when asked who he would pick first if he were a GM, he shared his opinion. “It depends on what you need,” he said.
“If I need a point guard, I’ll go with Dylan Harper. If I need a wing or a small forward, I’m going for Cooper. So, it’s all about position.”
