The 76ers’ journey to the 2021 Finals ended sooner than all of us expected, but it gave us a chance to take the lead in the offseason. Before we delve into the draft, fake trades and various other issues, the first task is to determine who should stay and who should stand out from their current free agents.

The first is Danny Green, their 3-pointer starter, whose season was shortened by a calf injury.

2020-21 data line: 9.5 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 41.2/40.5/77.5 field goal percentage

Looking back on the year

Coming to Philadelphia as a return in the trade, let Al Horford pack, Danny Green can do almost nothing this season, but it still feels like a major upgrade. But Green finally made a turn for the better in one of the best seasons of the past five years. After playing for the Lakers in the 2019-20 season, his three-point field goal percentage dropped to his 30s and rebounded by more than 40%.

He got there in Green’s usual way-bombing from the corner. According to NBA tracking data, Green’s average bottom corner three-point shooting per game is the highest in the NBA, and his shooting percentage from any bottom corner is as high as 43.9%. This is a valuable skill for any NBA team, but in a Philadelphia team with Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons as the core, it makes him two famous Philadelphia brands. The star’s useful partner, when Embiid is in the low post or doubles inside, he is ready to swing and pass the ball. Kicked to the corner after Ben Simmons drove. Green’s ability to move from corner to corner is a skill that you can only truly appreciate when you watch him play every night. This veteran is able to use feints, tilt and some unknown physical qualities to create separation and open up. A window passed the ball to his position.

Green occupies a space at most or all of the time, which in particular provides Embiid with a sense of security as a passer. His comfort from cross passes to corner kicks has grown throughout the season, and Green is always where Embiid expects it, which is an important reason.

Green also brought a very underrated skill that helped Embiid get help this season: getting started. In the 2019-20 season, the 76ers only blocked Embiid’s ball in the low post, partly because he failed to establish his position, but also because of his steady reluctance and inaccurate passers. Even if the big man would block him early, people like Josh Richardson often pass the ball, forcing Embiid to abandon this position and bring the ball in.Green is a reliable and accurate passer, but also a good exporter of Embiid, a shooter who is willing to punish opponents who try to double.

You can say that Green is an important part of the team’s progress. The lineup data shows that Philadelphia’s defense is better when Green is on the bench — I think this is because Matisse Sebull often plays when he is away — but when he is on the field, the 76ers’ offense requires Much worse.

After a calf injury prevented him from participating in the series, Green’s playoffs will eventually receive an incomplete score, but he is expected to become a “two series story” type of player. In the first round against Washington, Green was absolutely full of firepower. The Wizards ignited the Wizards from the corner because they were trying to figure out how to deal with Embiid and Simmons at the basket. For most of the first round, Green’s task was to defend Russell Westbrook. He used the sagging to lure Westbrook into the bad shots he liked and did a good job.

Atlanta is a different story, and Green is very responsible for Philadelphia’s failure to contain Tre Young early. Although I think this is as important as planning and anything else-Young killed pitch coverage in a series of Philadelphia guards throughout the series-but it follows Green’s year-long effort to contain the league in more An energetic ball-handling model. Rivers often asked Green to take on the highest tasks early in the game and waited until the second half to use Simmons, and Green looked a little bit beyond his depth in bringing the most important perimeter battles out of the gate.

Having said that, Green is one of the few players who can consistently play and return to transitional defense, and his awareness as a team defender is an asset to the team on a broader level. When the 76ers’ defense is at its best, Green’s weak-side rotation and helping instinct can help them get there.

Appearance

Green, who just turned 34 a few days ago, is almost certain that he still has some productive years. The big question is how big you can ask him to play in his career, and what his market will look like when he enters his 30s.

Frankly speaking, this is largely due to how Rivers chose to use green rather than its effectiveness in a vacuum. In today’s densely packed leagues, it may be difficult for a player to stay on-point and keep where you want them to be for most of the game, but the simple act of letting Green play a secondary role in a jumper will It’s good for Green and the team. Green’s attention in the corner will always add value to teams that need space, no matter if they make or don’t make major changes during the offseason.

Green is still a trustworthy person, can he play a starting role in a good team? The success of the Philadelphia starting team shows that the answer is yes, and Green knows his role and position in the ecosystem very well. If the 76ers continue to try to build around the Embiid-Simmons-Harris trio (or even just the Embiid-Simmons combination), they may need to add some extra ball-handling ability to make Simmons more of a mixed character. Green offers the least energy in this department, so he may eventually become the one who stands out from the top team and makes way for new acquisitions. Even in that situation, no matter what happens, he seems more likely to continue as the fifth starter, and his three-pointer is still useful in almost any combination the 76ers can combine around him.

The 76ers have Green’s early bird rights, which means they can provide up to 175% of his previous salary or 105% of the league average salary for the 2020-21 season, whichever is greater, and can do so if you don’t mind. Do this salary cap. As long as both parties want to stick to it and the offer is in line with Green’s preferences, this should make it easy to re-sign Green, and Green suggested to Dr. Rivers in the resignation interview that he wants him back.

“I talked to the doctor and he said,’You know, my first reaction was that you had a hellish year, and I am grateful for everything you have done for me,'” Green said. “He said,’You will come back, where the fuck you won’t go,’ so this is a good sign they want me to come back.”

Verdict: stay

Getting Green back is definitely a breeze for me, although it will definitely lower the head coach’s expectations. Easier said than done-Rivers has always trusted veterans, the past point is meaningful, 76ers fans may have to endure some maddening young guards burning Green in order to let Simmons “roam” or avoid in the first place Foul trouble at halftime.

Having said that, Green is a reliable shooter, a good locker room player, and a smart team player who helps the team win. In addition to his value on the court, the final contract signed by the 76ers and Green may ultimately be very important in potential trade negotiations. If the 76ers need to pay a salary for an expensive star, then having Green’s salary slightly higher than he should be is actually an asset.

To me, this feels like one of the simplest decisions of the offseason. As long as his price tag is not big enough to scare away ownership, you can complete the transaction.

Follow Kyle on Twitter: @Kyle newback