Denver Nuggets sign Jeff Green to 2-year deal
By Adam Taylor
The Denver Nuggets have agreed to a deal with Jeff Green that will see the veteran forward/small-ball five join the team on a two-year $10 million deal, with the second year being a player option.
Free agent forward/center Jeff Green has agreed to a two-year, $10 million deal with the Denver Nuggets, his agent Jason Glushon of @GlushonSM tells ESPN. The deal includes a player option in the second year.
— Malika Andrews (@malika_andrews) August 2, 2021
Green has earned a reputation as one of the better bench contributors in the league in recent seasons and excelled as a small-ball option for both the Brooklyn Nets this past year. Throughout his 68 regular-season games, Green averaged 11 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 1.6 assists on an effective field goal percentage of 56.4%.
However, the Denver Nuggets are unlikely to have signed Green for his regular-season performances. Instead, he will be hoping for his increased production and consistency once the postseason rolls around. Green is a career 37% three-point shooter during the playoffs and has shown an ability to get to the free-throw line, where he’s a 77% shooter on his post-season career.
During the Nets’ ill-fated 2020-21 playoff run, the Maryland native averaged 8.2 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game.
"“Jeff Green was unbelievable,” said Nets head coach Steve Nash. “Incredible performance. Kept us in the game for long stretches of it where it could’ve got away from us and we weren’t playing well. I mean, he didn’t miss for a long, long time and kept us in it. And so, for a guy who is coming off an injury, who has been a big part of our team this year — to step up and show that maturity, that veteran presence, that winning mentality tonight was unbelievable. So, Kevin’s performance tonight was historic, but Jeff’s the one that kept us in the game for a long, long time.” – Steve Nash following Jeff Green’s scoring performance against the Milwaukee Bucks in the playoffs."
Green’s arrival will provide the Nuggets with greater versatility from the bench unit along with a legitimate small-ball option should Denver need to adopt a faster, more modernized style of play during games.
At 34-years-old, Green brings a vast amount of experience to Denver, although despite his ring chasing, the versatile wing has yet to win an NBA championship. The Nuggets will hope that by adding the veteran to an already established core, Green’s wait for a championship ring will end sooner rather than later.