Former Maverick Projected to Start For Hornets

Charlotte could be a perfect spot for the former first-round pick to grow his game

Mar 19, 2022; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (2) drives the baseline against Dallas Mavericks guard Josh Green (8) during the fourth quarter at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Brian Westerholt-Imagn Images / Brian Westerholt-Imagn Images

Josh Green could never break into the starting rotation for the Dallas Mavericks in his four seasons with the team. The former first-round pick out of Arizona started just 62 out of 223 games for the Mavs and was traded away this offseason to make the money work to bring in Klay Thompson. That trade to the Charlotte Hornets could help Green have a more consistent role in the NBA.

Roderick Boone of the Charlotte Observer did a mailbag of Charlotte Hornets questions, including whether he expects Green to be a starter for the Hornets.

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"From all indications, Green is going to be in that starting backcourt alongside LaMelo Ball," Boone stated. "He gives the Hornets a nice balance and can take some of the pressure off Ball by defending either of the opposing team's guards, which could be a serious boost given Ball's penchant for collecting fouls. Since Green can play more than one position, it will provide [Hornets coach Charles] Lee with options, and having Green in the lineup at the game's outset helps establish the tone Lee is looking for on that side of the court."

Charlotte could be a great opportunity for Green to produce, even if the Hornets won't be as successful as the Mavs have been in recent years. Green made two Western Conference Finals appearances with the Mavs, including going all the way to the NBA Finals last season, while the Hornets haven't made the playoffs since 2016 and haven't won a series since 2002. They aren't projected to be much better this year either, with +50000 odds to win the Eastern Conference, according to FanDuel.

Green averaged 8.2 PPG last season but was mostly relegated to bench duty behind Derrick Jones Jr. While his three-point shot developed since college, he was never seen as enough of a threat to pull attention away from Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic, a big reason why they decided to pivot toward Thompson this offseason.

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