Former Sixers Veteran Danny Green Will Make Grizzlies Debut Soon

Danny Green announces his return to the court is coming soon, and he will make his Memphis Grizzlies debut in a couple of weeks.

The last time Danny Green stepped foot on a basketball court, the veteran was donning a Philadelphia 76ers’ uniform while facing the Miami Heat in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

Early on in the matchup, Green went down with a knee injury, which sent him to the locker room. Eventually, Green was ruled out for the rest of the game, and when he returned to the Sixers’ bench in the second half, the sharpshooter was wearing street clothes and using crutches.

Going into the offseason, Green anticipated surgery on his knee. While a procedure that serious typically keeps players off the floor for an entire season, the 35-year-old veteran made it clear that would play during the 2022-2023 season and targeted a return around the All-Star break.

Green is staying true to his word. According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Green intends to make his season debut on February 1. Not only does the matchup mark Green’s season debut, but it also marks the first time he’ll suit up for the Memphis Grizzlies.

While heading into the 2022 offseason, Green expected a potential change of scenery. As the Sixers were title competitors and required more two-way talent that would be available for the entire year, Green was on the Sixers’ trade block. On the night of the 2022 NBA Draft, the Sixers flipped Green and their lone first-round pick for Memphis Grizzlies guard De’Anthony Melton.

Memphis kept Green and his valuable vocal veteran leadership around. Now, they are hopeful of benefiting from what he can bring to the court as well. Although it’s been months since Green has played, he still proved to be a reliable three-point scorer over the last two seasons with the Sixers.

During his first run in Philly, Green knocked down 41 percent of his threes on six attempts per game. The following year, Green drilled 38 percent of his threes on a little under five attempts per game. It might take a while for the veteran to get back into the swing of things after going out with a critical knee injury last year, but Green hopes to make an impact in Memphis soon enough. 

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for All76ers, a Sports Illustrated channel. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.