Players with skill sets similar to that of Jeff Green

[Atzar]

I advocate Green and I love the strides he's made, but Gay is the better player. I disagree that Green is the better defender, but am with you on him being more efficient and less turn over prone.

 It can go either way, but what I think separates Green and Gay (imo) is that Gay is a go to scorer in the 4th quarter. He's a proven, clutch performer. He's one of those few players who you can give the ball to and he can create off the dribble (like Pierce, Kobe, etc. You can trust these kinds of players). Can't do that with Green. He had 2 amazing game winners that I loved, but it wasn't clutch. It was clutch, but not clutch.

Before Gay's shoulder injury I would have agreed with you.  But ever since his injury and Memphis's shift to inside-out basketball, Gay just hasn't been the same.  He's an excellent post player and solid off of one or two bounces, but aside from that he's a bad jumpshooter who takes way too many jumpshots.  Three quarters of his shots are jumpers, and his eFG is 39%.  That doesn't help a team win. 

As far as defense goes, there aren't many reliable ways to quantify that but I see them as similar in the sense that they're both capable of playing very good defense when they're dialed in, but both struggle with consistency.  I think Green makes the effort more often.  Gay gets more steals, but Green has the added dimension of being a capable weakside shotblocker. 

[connor]

I'd take Green over every SF in the league, except maybe Durant (I would never take a LeBron or Carmelo, and I prefer Green over George/Batum/Gay, etc.)

Really? Is this sarcasm and I'm just missing it?

Jeff Green isn't even the best SF on his OWN TEAM. The Truth still has him beat.

Durant and LeBron are obviously in a class of their own. Carmelo is probably the best pure scorer in the league. Batum, Smith, George, Deng maybe Gay as well I would put ahead of Green (that is until Green shows he can produce consistently). Parsons and Leonard are younger options that could be better in a year or two. Even Gallinari is probably about the same in value as Green at the moment.

If Green can learn from PP and develop an adequate mid-range/pull-up game to go along with his slashing/3ball style, he could easily become a top 5-10 talent because of his pure athleticism, length, versatility and (fixed) heart. But he ain't there yet champ.

[CelticConcourse]

I'd take Green over every SF in the league, except maybe Durant (I would never take a LeBron or Carmelo, and I prefer Green over George/Batum/Gay, etc.)

Really? Is this sarcasm and I'm just missing it?

Jeff Green isn't even the best SF on his OWN TEAM. The Truth still has him beat.

Durant and LeBron are obviously in a class of their own. Carmelo is probably the best pure scorer in the league. Batum, Smith, George, Deng maybe Gay as well I would put ahead of Green (that is until Green shows he can produce consistently). Parsons and Leonard are younger options that could be better in a year or two. Even Gallinari is probably about the same in value as Green at the moment.

If Green can learn from PP and develop an adequate mid-range/pull-up game to go along with his slashing/3ball style, he could easily become a top 5-10 talent because of his pure athleticism, length, versatility and (fixed) heart. But he ain't there yet champ.

I can't choose which players I like? I didn't even say Jeff was better... I just said I'd like to take him over any other SF! He's just too awesome... leads the league in awesomeness!

[nickagneta]

I'd take Green over every SF in the league, except maybe Durant (I would never take a LeBron or Carmelo, and I prefer Green over George/Batum/Gay, etc.)

I'll take Paul Pierce over Jeff Green. I guess I am just funny that way.

Others I would take over Green:

LeBron
Carmelo
Batum
Deng
Gay
George
Granger
Leonard
Parsons
World Peace

Also, in a couple years, I could see 1-4 additions(MKG, Barnes, Wiggins, Parker) to this as younger players come into the league.

Jeff Green would have to play the way he has the last 6 weeks or so, for at least a year before I could knock half those names off that list.

[indeedproceed]

I'd take Green over every SF in the league, except maybe Durant (I would never take a LeBron or Carmelo, and I prefer Green over George/Batum/Gay, etc.)

Really? Is this sarcasm and I'm just missing it?

Jeff Green isn't even the best SF on his OWN TEAM. The Truth still has him beat.

Durant and LeBron are obviously in a class of their own. Carmelo is probably the best pure scorer in the league. Batum, Smith, George, Deng maybe Gay as well I would put ahead of Green (that is until Green shows he can produce consistently). Parsons and Leonard are younger options that could be better in a year or two. Even Gallinari is probably about the same in value as Green at the moment.

If Green can learn from PP and develop an adequate mid-range/pull-up game to go along with his slashing/3ball style, he could easily become a top 5-10 talent because of his pure athleticism, length, versatility and (fixed) heart. But he ain't there yet champ.

I can't choose which players I like? I didn't even say Jeff was better... I just said I'd like to take him over any other SF! He's just too awesome... leads the league in awesomeness!

Yeah but if you break down his awesomeness to a per36 minutes metric, his awesomeness is actually below average for a forward.

[CelticConcourse]

I'd take Green over every SF in the league, except maybe Durant (I would never take a LeBron or Carmelo, and I prefer Green over George/Batum/Gay, etc.)

I'll take Paul Pierce over Jeff Green. I guess I am just funny that way.

Others I would take over Green:

LeBron
Carmelo
Batum
Deng
Gay
George
Granger
Leonard
Parsons
World Peace

Also, in a couple years, I could see 1-4 additions(MKG, Barnes, Wiggins, Parker) to this as younger players come into the league.

Jeff Green would have to play the way he has the last 6 weeks or so, for at least a year before I could knock half those names off that list.

LeBron - I don't like LeBron, SORRY
Carmelo - I don't like Melo, NOPE
Batum - Maybe... but Jeff/Batum are basically equals in my mind; I'd take GREEN
Deng - Don't enjoy his style of play
Gay - Massively overpaid
George - Maybe... I'd say George/Jeff are about equals too but I like GREEN more
Granger - Injured and old
Leonard - Maybe... I like Kawhi. I might take him... but GREEN is GREEN
Parsons - Probably not... but he's a fantastic player
World Peace - Eh. Injured, getting old, pricey... tough call but nah
MKG - Too young but maybe later
Barnes - I like his game, but would rather Green
Wiggins - Unproven
Parker - Unproven

Of course this is all opinionated and irrelevant Don't read into it

[indeedproceed]

I'd take Green over every SF in the league, except maybe Durant (I would never take a LeBron or Carmelo, and I prefer Green over George/Batum/Gay, etc.)

I'll take Paul Pierce over Jeff Green. I guess I am just funny that way.

Others I would take over Green:

LeBron
Carmelo
Batum
Deng
Gay
George
Granger
Leonard
Parsons
World Peace

Also, in a couple years, I could see 1-4 additions(MKG, Barnes, Wiggins, Parker) to this as younger players come into the league.

Jeff Green would have to play the way he has the last 6 weeks or so, for at least a year before I could knock half those names off that list.

I understand its about preference, but if LA or Indy could swap out MWP or Granger for Green today, they do that in a heartbeat. And just the same, if GSW offered Barnes for Green, the Celtics do it in a New York minute.

[syfy9]

I'd take Green over every SF in the league, except maybe Durant (I would never take a LeBron or Carmelo, and I prefer Green over George/Batum/Gay, etc.)

Really? Is this sarcasm and I'm just missing it?

Jeff Green isn't even the best SF on his OWN TEAM. The Truth still has him beat.

Durant and LeBron are obviously in a class of their own. Carmelo is probably the best pure scorer in the league. Batum, Smith, George, Deng maybe Gay as well I would put ahead of Green (that is until Green shows he can produce consistently). Parsons and Leonard are younger options that could be better in a year or two. Even Gallinari is probably about the same in value as Green at the moment.

If Green can learn from PP and develop an adequate mid-range/pull-up game to go along with his slashing/3ball style, he could easily become a top 5-10 talent because of his pure athleticism, length, versatility and (fixed) heart. But he ain't there yet champ.

I can't choose which players I like? I didn't even say Jeff was better... I just said I'd like to take him over any other SF! He's just too awesome... leads the league in awesomeness!

Yeah but if you break down his awesomeness to a per36 minutes metric, his awesomeness is actually below average for a forward.

Hey, but his awesome shares (estimated number of awesomeness contributed by a player) are a career low this year. It's partly because of Bradley, Shav, and the remnants of Brian Scalabrine, but still.

[RJ87]

I'd take Green over every SF in the league, except maybe Durant (I would never take a LeBron or Carmelo, and I prefer Green over George/Batum/Gay, etc.)

Really? Is this sarcasm and I'm just missing it?

Jeff Green isn't even the best SF on his OWN TEAM. The Truth still has him beat.

Durant and LeBron are obviously in a class of their own. Carmelo is probably the best pure scorer in the league. Batum, Smith, George, Deng maybe Gay as well I would put ahead of Green (that is until Green shows he can produce consistently). Parsons and Leonard are younger options that could be better in a year or two. Even Gallinari is probably about the same in value as Green at the moment.

If Green can learn from PP and develop an adequate mid-range/pull-up game to go along with his slashing/3ball style, he could easily become a top 5-10 talent because of his pure athleticism, length, versatility and (fixed) heart. But he ain't there yet champ.

Agree.

I like Jeff... a lot. But I'm not sure he's our SF of tee future just yet. Honestly, if Indiana offered up George or a Portland offered Batum for Green, I'd jump and wouldn't think twice.

[ScottHow]

So now this is a coolness/awesome player thread?

Then my team is

Sam I am
West
The Wiggle
Waltah
Erden

That team right there would dominate the awesomeness per36 category.

[OsirusCeltics]

Jeff Green doesn't play like Durant.  Durant is a shooter who sets up the drive with the threat of the jumpshot.  Jeff Green is a slasher who sets up the jumpshot with the threat that he might drive.  Different approaches to scoring.  You can also shut Jeff Green down by forcing him away from the right-handed drive, whereas with Durant you're screwed unless he's just having an off night.

As an aside:  I hope Durant gets to play without Westbrook at some point.  I'd love to see what he can do when he doesn't have to share with a chucker of a PG.

The minute Westbrook gets traded is the minute Thunder win a championship

[Who]

A poor man's James Worthy?  I can see a little of that the way he glides to the hoop sometimes.

I think Worthy is the best, mmm, all-time great comparison made in this thread. Jeff Green isn't a true small forward. Just like Worthy wasn't a small forward. Green is a combo-forward. Like Worthy was. It is a different position. Like combo-guard is different than shooting guard or point guard.

They both play the position in a similar way. Players who plays both forward positions and uses his size to get an advantage at the SF position or their quickness and slashing at the PF position. The size (6-9, 230lbs), the length and the athleticism. All very similar to Worthy also.

Worthy is the guy that J.Green should be modeling and should have been modeling his game after since he entered the NBA. A great example of how he could use his tools to become a dominant player in the NBA.

[Josh88]

Before Gay's shoulder injury I would have agreed with you.  But ever since his injury and Memphis's shift to inside-out basketball, Gay just hasn't been the same.  He's an excellent post player and solid off of one or two bounces, but aside from that he's a bad jumpshooter who takes way too many jumpshots.  Three quarters of his shots are jumpers, and his eFG is 39%.  That doesn't help a team win. 

As far as defense goes, there aren't many reliable ways to quantify that but I see them as similar in the sense that they're both capable of playing very good defense when they're dialed in, but both struggle with consistency.  I think Green makes the effort more often.  Gay gets more steals, but Green has the added dimension of being a capable weakside shotblocker.

On the topc of Gay, I completely agree. He's one of the most overrated players in the league, and it would only reinforce my perception that the Raptors are one of the worst managed teams in the league if they do decide to sign him to an extensions as has been rumored.

There's a reason Hollinger had Gay moved as soon as the Grizzlies hired him, and they've barely skipped a beat despite moving their leading scroer. The Raptors on the other hand are as bad as ever.

On topic, Paul George is a far superior player to Jeff Green, and 4 years younger. They are not about equal.

[SHAQATTACK]

I know this......right now the way Jeff is improving.......and young as he still is.......there aren't but a few forwards I would trade him for.

your looking at Green playing as good or close to alot of HIGH DOLLAR guys........

I think Jeff Green has a higher ball IQ than J Smoove.......the more I watch Smith , the more I'm convinced trading Green in some sort of trade would be a BAD idea........I wouldn't have said this 4 months ago.

Green is a bargain .

[badshar]

Jeff Green doesn't play like Durant.  Durant is a shooter who sets up the drive with the threat of the jumpshot.  Jeff Green is a slasher who sets up the jumpshot with the threat that he might drive.  Different approaches to scoring.  You can also shut Jeff Green down by forcing him away from the right-handed drive, whereas with Durant you're screwed unless he's just having an off night.

As an aside:  I hope Durant gets to play without Westbrook at some point.  I'd love to see what he can do when he doesn't have to share with a chucker of a PG.

The minute Westbrook gets traded is the minute Thunder win a championship

More like the minute Westbrook gets traded is the minute Thunder can't get out of WCF.

Last year, defenses had to worry about Harden, Durant AND Westbrook.
This year it is Westbrook AND Durant, still two stars on the same team like other superteams. If Westbrook leaves, Durant will be all alone and will get steamrolled by teams that have multiple stars.