Denver Nuggets Send Erick Green to the D-League
Dec 13, 2014; Houston, TX, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Erick Green (11) during the game against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
Erick Green had high hopes for the season, but it looks like his time in the NBA is on hold for now.
On January 20, the Denver Nuggets announced via their official site that they have assigned guard Erick Green to the NBA Development League.
Green will report to the Fort Wayne Mad Ants of the D-League, and is expected to make his debut with the team on January 23 against Rio Grande Valley.
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Green made the Nuggets regular season roster this year after spending the 2013-14 season with Montepaschi Siena in the Italian League. He appeared in 14 games for the Nuggets so far this season, playing just over 7 minutes per game. He was averaging 3.3 points, 0.7 assists, 0.1 steals and 0.4 turnovers per contest. His biggest game of the season came on December 10 in Denver’s 20-point win over the Miami Heat. Green played nearly 18 minutes off the bench, scoring 11 points on 4 of 7 shooting, and recording 3 assists. Here are Green’s highlights from that game:
The move likely isn’t what Green envisioned when he joined the Nuggets before the season. After leading the NCAA in scoring and being named the ACC Player of the Year during his senior year at Virgina Tech, Utah used pick #46 in the second round of the 2013 NBA Draft to draft Green, before later trading his rights to Denver. In his limited time on the court this season, Green appeared to struggle with balancing his natural scoring instincts with his desire to prove he can be a more traditional facilitating point guard.
Let’s hope the time in the D-League helps Green improve his game. If the team starts making moves ahead of the trade deadline, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Green rejoin the team if Denver sends players packing in exchange for picks or future considerations.