The Cleveland Cavaliers have assembled one of the best young cores in the entire association. Led by the core four of Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen, the Cavs should remain competitive for years to come. Nevertheless, it’s clear that the Cavs sense that they could win it all as soon as this season, as they reportedly hunted for a potential upgrade on the wing to cement themselves as contenders with the title picture wide open.
However, the Cavs failed to swing a trade for the likes of Tim Hardaway Jr., and Malik Beasley, among others, as they stood pat past the 3 PM ET trade deadline last Thursday. Instead, the Cavs opted to add a piece via the buyout market, signing the recently waived Danny Green for the stretch run.
As uninspiring a move as that may be at first glance, Donovan Mitchell acknowledged the value Green brings to the table during his postgame press conference following the Cavs’ 117-109 win over the San Antonio Spurs on Monday night – even if he didn’t particularly like Green when he was growing up.
“He’s a 3-time champion. A guy I grew up watching. I remember watching him dancing on the bench with LeBron. I remember watching him against the Heat. Breaking Ray Allen’s 3-point (Finals) record. I hated him at the time,” Mitchell said as he let out a laugh.
While that may be the case, Donovan Mitchell revealed that he and Danny Green are as good as family having known each other since Spida was a pre-teen.
“I’ve known Danny and his family since I was probably 11, 12 years old. We played against his brother (Devonte). I know his dad. It’s kind of crazy how life works. A lot of things come full circle,” Mitchell added.
Things have come full circle for Danny Green as well; while Green earned his stripes as a member of the Spurs, he began his career as a member of the Cavs back in 2009.
Spida then made sure to recognize that Green’s veteran composure and his penchant for making timely shots will be a huge boon to the Cavs, as he provides a battle-tested alternative to the likes of Caris LeVert and Isaac Okoro.
“I think the first thing you think of is the way he spaces the floor, but also his veteran presence in the locker room. Calming presence. A great personality. When he gets in, you know he’s a sniper. Especially in big-time situations, he’s done it year in and year out.”
Green has only played in three games this season, averaging 3.0 points in 14.3 minutes a night in his first games back from a major knee injury.