“I’m looking at the Spurs. I wanna see a healthy Wemby and De’Aaron Fox. We never got a chance to get them at full strength last year. Obviously, everybody’s interested in what KD looks like, too. For me, it’s that duo and seeing how Wemby bounces back from that blood clot issue, and De’Aaron Fox from his surgery,” former NBA player Danny Green said, via ESPN.

The San Antonio Spurs may have wrapped up last season with a disappointing 13th-place finish in the Western Conference, but optimism abounds as they look forward to showcasing their roster of promising young talent like Stephon Castle, Devin Vassell, and Jeremy Sochan that ignite enthusiasm among fans. Moreover, the dynamic duo of Victor Wembanyama and De’Aaron Fox returns healthy. Together, they promise to guide the team toward a coveted playoff berth.

However, the road ahead will not be easy for the Spurs. The Houston Rockets have raised the stakes with their acquisition of Kevin Durant, a move that many believe elevates them to the top team in Texas. His presence fills a significant gap: A formidable scorer who could shine in high-pressure playoff scenarios. Consequently, expectations have soared in Houston, setting the stage for a thrilling season in the Lone Star State.

The Rockets and the Spurs diverge significantly in their roster strategies. Houston prioritizes crafting a solid defensive unit by relying on seasoned veterans, aiming to anchor their gameplay in experience and fortitude. In contrast, San Antonio invests in a dynamic, youthful roster capable of shaking up the competition with an aggressive, offensive style.

Despite the Dallas Mavericks capturing headlines with the addition of Cooper Flagg, the San Antonio Spurs also made waves by selecting Dylan Harper who ranks among the most promising. Even if he is considered a future talent, his scoring prowess, combined with remarkable court vision could bring an immediate impact to the Spurs’ roster. Therefore, he could become an indispensable asset in the short-term.

“My GOAT is MJ (Michael Jordan)…I think (LeBron James) has the greatest career of all time. I’mma go one and two, MJ then Bron. I think (Bryant) probably is the most skilled out of all three,” Danny Green said, via All the Smoke podcast. However, fans anticipated he might favor LeBron as the greatest of all time. This expectation existed because Green celebrated an NBA championship victory alongside LeBron.

In the ongoing debate about the greatest of all time in basketball, people often overlook Kobe Bryant. Yet Danny Green recently shone a spotlight on Bryant’s legacy, sparking renewed discussions. He carved his name into the Lakers history, becoming a global icon in NBA culture. Also, he achieved five championships and an MVP award, highlighting his undeniable accomplishments.

Furthermore, Green intensified the debate by contending that Kobe displayed more skill than LeBron James and Michael Jordan. Although his comments stirred controversy, he was not alone in his viewpoint. Dwight Howard also supported this claim, offering a bold explanation. “He took everything Jordan did and multiplied it. He did it better. He had the fadeaway, the drive, the pump fake,” Howard stated on the Gil’s Arena Show.

This is not to argue that Kobe Bryant surpasses Michael Jordan or LeBron James in the passionate GOAT debate. Both legends deeply capture fans’ admiration by dominating their eras and setting significant records. Consequently, they reached legendary status. However, the discussion surrounding Bryant’s skill and impact secures his place in this ongoing conversation.

Former Lakers player Danny Green shares high praise for Kobe Bryant amid surprising confession

Throughout his 15-year NBA career, Danny Green played for six franchises. Despite spending only one season with the Los Angeles Lakers, he won his last championship there. However, he never played alongside Kobe Bryant but did compete against him. This experience changed his perspective on the Lakers legend. Consequently, Green expressed newfound admiration for Bryant, hinting at a significant shift in his views after facing him on the court.

“As a young kid, I always liked Mike so much, I thought Kob (Bryant) was just the imitation of Mike (Jordan)… I wouldn’t say I hated on him but I appreciated him more once I got to the league, playing against him. And then seeing years, how many years he’s played, and then after, of seeing how his mind worked, and his footwork, unbelievable,” he confessed, via All the Smoke podcast.

“I think social media’s kind of ruined that for a lot of bigger guys, because I feel like that aura, I saw it a lot earlier on. Like when he was in Cleveland, he was a rock star, by the time he got to LA, when he was in Miami, I feel like they had so much access to him. They see him all the time, they see him on social media, they see him in the clubs or doing parties. People didn’t idolize him as much, and they criticized him, like we’re able to criticize those top guys even more because of social media,” affirmed Danny Green on the All the Smoke podcast.

Danny Green shared the court with LeBron James twice. First, during the 2009-10 season with the Cleveland Cavaliers, and then again in 2019-20 with the Los Angeles Lakers. Because of that, he knows LeBron well and up close. Green does not question LeBron’s aura or legendary status. However, constant media exposure changes how fans see him.

Still, LeBron James’ legacy remains undeniable. He has played 1,562 NBA games and continues to break records. He leads the league in all-time points with 42,184. Besides, the Lakers veteran holds the record for the most 20+ point games in league history. On top of that, he made history with three franchises: the Cavaliers, Heat, and Lakers. Few players can match that kind of impact across multiple teams.

Ex-Lakers player Danny Green drops bold take on franchise’s championship hopes

Luka Doncic joined the Los Angeles Lakers, and expectations soared. Fans and analysts quickly called them title contenders. They believed his arrival would elevate the team to championship level. However, the season took a different turn. In the playoffs, the Lakers lost early to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

As a result, doubts grew about the team’s ability to compete at the highest level. Former Lakers player Danny Green addressed those concerns. He delivered a blunt statement about the roster’s slim chances of winning a title.

“I think they’re explosive offensively. I think they lack a lot defensively… I don’t know how many years he (James) has left longer, and it’s think it’s just really hard to win a championship when your best player is 40 years old… Next year LeBron going to be 41….He can still average 30, 20 something but I just don’t see them winning a championship with that formula right now,” stated Danny Green on All The Smoke podcast.

“He wants to go to a tax friendly state,” Green said on ESPN this week, revealing that Giannis’s decision isn’t based solely on basketball, but also on financial factors. “The only tax free states that I can think of is Texas, Tennessee, and Florida,” he added.

Based on that, Danny broke down the possibilities. “Florida is an option but I just don’t think Miami or Orlando has the pieces to get him,” he explained, implying that the Heat and the Magic don’t currently offer the kind of situation Antetokounmpo is looking for. “He’s not going to Memphis, I don’t know if Memphis has the pieces either.”

That narrows down the potential destinations. “Only three other teams… He’s going to stay in Texas with Dallas keeping their pick,” Green predicted. If the Mavericks do hold on to the No. 1 pick they won in the Draft Lottery and use it to select Cooper Flagg, as speculated, that would leave only two remaining options: “I think he ends up in Houston or San Antonio,” concluded the 2014 NBA champion with the Spurs.

Giannis in San Antonio?

Of the teams mentioned, perhaps the most intriguing landing spot for Antetokounmpo is the Spurs. The franchise has been in a rebuilding phase since its golden era with Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili, missing the playoffs in each of the last six seasons. But signs suggest the beginning of a new chapter.

San Antonio now boasts a promising young roster, highlighted by the last two Rookie of the Year winners: Victor Wembanyama and Stephon Castle. This season, they also added De’Aaron Fox, who elevated the team’s level and sparked hope for a playoff run—until Wemby’s injury derailed those ambitions.

Adding a prime superstar like Antetokounmpo to this core would immediately make the Spurs serious contenders in the Western Conference. That could be a decisive factor as the two-time NBA MVP (2019, 2020) considers whether to remain in Milwaukee or move on.

The Bucks believe Giannis will stay

Despite the ongoing rumors, Milwaukee remains optimistic that Antetokounmpo will stay loyal to the franchise he has spent the past 12 seasons with. “Giannis bleeds green,” said Bucks teammate Bobby Portis Jr. on Run It Back, emphasizing that the Greek star is committed to finishing his career in Milwaukee. “I think he wants that Tim Duncan, Kobe-esque, Steph Curry-type career where they play with one franchise.”

During a recent appearance on ESPN, Danny Green and Kendrick Perkins discussed James’ performance in the Lakers‘ victory over the Houston Rockets at Crypto.com Arena. Perkins highlighted: “We saw him on both ends of the floor. I saw him give up his body and this is what makes LeBron James so special… He sacrifices.”

While reviewing one of the plays from the game, the 2008 champion with the Boston Celtics said: “Now you have LeBron James setting the screen for Austin Reaves. Look at the attention that he draws, look at the eyeballs, look at his options… He said, ‘I know, because of my ability to get downhill, even at the age of 40, you still gotta put these eyes on me, and I got options’… One of the best facilitators in the game.”

Green agreed with Perkins’ assessment but immediately voiced his concerns about whether LeBron will be able to endure that physical effort once the playoffs roll around. “I don’t know if he can play the five position at the age of 40 for a seven-game series,” Danny said.

Danny Green knows what the Lakers need to do

During the same discussion, Danny Green expressed satisfaction with the Lakers’ performance against Houston, especially with LeBron James’ showing. “I do like what he did last night, but they need to rely on their offense,” he clarified.

The three-time NBA champion with the San Antonio Spurs, Toronto Raptors and Lakers then elaborated on the role Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves must assume alongside James. “They need the Big 3 to play well,” he explained. “They need to score, they need their bench, and they need all hands on deck for them to have a chance against teams like OKC, against Houston.”

Finally, analyzing the Lakers’ 104-98 victory on Monday night, Green said: “Houston shot poorly in that first quarter and for most of the game. I don’t know if they’ll do that for a seven-game series, so they’re gonna need their offense as much as their defense.”

The playoff scenario in the West

As of now, the only team in the Western Conference that has secured its spot in the playoffs is the Oklahoma City Thunder, with their impressive record of 63-12. Currently, the second place belongs to the Houston Rockets (49-27), who can secure their spot this Wednesday night if they defeat the Utah Jazz at Toyota Center.

Further down the standings, things are much tighter: the Denver Nuggets also appear to be on track with a 47-29 record, though they are still not in a position to relax. The Lakers (46-29) hold the fourth seed, while the last two spots currently belong to the Golden State Warriors (44-31) and the Memphis Grizzlies (44-32). However, the Minnesota Timberwolves (44-32) and the Los Angeles Clippers (43-32) are also vying for those spots.

“There’s a lot of guys that are tough to guard in this league. I’ve had my fair share: Derrick Rose, Kyrie, Steph Curry, Klay, even JJ,” Green began during an interview with Run It Back. “The only one who was consistently the hardest to guard throughout my whole career was Kevin Durant.”

In discussing the specific qualities that made Durant such a difficult opponent, Danny elaborated: “There was no way to stop him, you just had the hope that he’d miss shots. He got to his spots, he got to his middle range, he can score in all three levels. He’s nothing short of amazing.”

Green, who won NBA championships with the San Antonio Spurs in 2014, the Toronto Raptors in 2019, and the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020, has had ample opportunity to face Durant on the court. His observations about Kevin’s offensive brilliance are based on years of firsthand experience.

“Honestly, could have been the best player walking this earth in the history of the game if he kind of wanted to be,” Green later asserted. “People just question his leadership and obviously the way he won or where he went to get the win. But if he wins those championships in OKC, and he got more than one or a couple MVPs…”

What is Durant missing to be the GOAT?

While Danny Green praised Durant’s immense talent, he also indicated that the forward’s career could have been even more impressive. “I guess he wasn’t known to be that type of leader, or that type of alpha,” he reflected. “If he had a different mentality, he would be the best thing we’ve ever seen in the history of the game, by far, because he is the most talented.”

Highlighting some of Durant’s unique on-court attributes, Danny pointed out: “We’ve never seen a guy 7ft, I’d say Wemby (Victor Wembanyama) now, but it’s very different. The way he moves, the way he shoots like a guard, there is nobody that could score better than him or as easy as he made it seem.”

Finally, Green compared Durant’s scoring prowess to other NBA legends. “Allen Iverson was a great scorer, Carmelo Anthony was a great scorer. All these guys are great scorers, but he just makes it look so easy because it’s so easy to him,” he said, underscoring KD’s unique place in NBA history.

Durant’s unfinished business

When it comes to Kevin Durant’s position in the GOAT conversation, one major factor often emerges: his decision to join an already star-studded Golden State Warriors roster to win his two NBA championships.

Durant came close to winning an NBA title with the Oklahoma City Thunder, even losing in the 2012 NBA Finals to the Miami Heat. Perhaps had he stayed in Oklahoma City or sought out a franchise where he could become the undisputed leader—like he has now with the Phoenix Suns—the perception of his legacy could be very different.

In this case, an important figure shared a team with LeBron James on the Lakers for the 2019-20 season. After a long career of 15 seasons in the NBA, this decisive player has made the bold decision to end his career in professional basketball.

James’ former teammate who was a champion with him at the Lakers and is retiring is none other than Danny Green. Both players have won the NBA title in 2020 with the yellow and purple franchise. The shooting guard, who despite having had an outstanding career was never an All-Star, has also been crowned with San Antonio Spurs (2014) and Toronto Raptors (2019).

While he had stated in June that his phone lines were open for the upcoming NBA season, Green announced that he is ending his professional career at the age of 37, following his last stint with the Philadelphia 76ers. The now former shooting guard had played just 13 games in the last two seasons.

The historic achievement shared by LeBron James and Danny Green

LeBron James and Danny Green not only shared a roster on the Lakers, but both achieved an accomplishment that only four basketball players can boast in NBA history: being league champions with three different franchises.

With Green’s retirement, James is now the only active basketball player with this achievement to his name. In addition to the title with the Lakers, LeBron also won it with the Miami Heat (2012 and 2013) and the Cleveland Cavaliers (2016).

Among the two remaining basketball players to have achieved the feat is John Salley, who won two championships with the Detroit Pistons (1989 and 1990), one with the Chicago Bulls (1996) and the other with the Los Angeles Lakers (2000). The other star to achieve the feat is Robert Horry, who claimed titles with the Houston Rockets (1994 and 1995), Los Angeles Lakers (2000, 2001 and 2002) and San Antonio Spurs (2005 and 2007).

He was playing his second playoff series with the 76ers since 2021 but this time things ended badly for Green due to an ACL injury during the loss against the Miami Heat on May 12, 2022. The injury took place after a collision with Joel Embiid.

Green was part of the champions of the 2019-20 NBA season, the Los Angeles Lakers who, along with LeBron James, won the bubble championship against the Miami Heat. A season earlier, Green and the Raptors won the 2018-2019 season.

What did Danny Green say about his ACL injury and return?

He said that his career should not end due to an ACL injury but on his own terms implying that this injury is only the beginning of the road back to the NBA and that it will be much sooner than later.

“I’d like to end on my own terms and not a major injury. … I will be back before All-Star break. You better believe it. You heard it here first. So I will work my tail off to rehab to get back healthy. My body and my bones usually heal pretty well. I don’t have any bad habits. So, yeah, I think I’ll be back in time to help the team in the playoff run and show and prove that I’m able to still play at that level to help a team get a win in the playoffs.”

Green could be back, according to him, before the All-Star break that will take place on February 19, 2023, a little less than a year for Green to return to the court. An ACL injury typically takes an average of six to nine months to fully heal.

First, it was Joel Embiid whotalked about his deteriorated relationship with Simmons. Shortly after,Danny Green warned the Australian ahead of a potential return to the City of Brotherly Love on March 10.

The veteran small forward said he doesn’t expect Simmons to play for the Brooklyn Nets that day, claiming that the atmosphere would be too rough for him. However, he took another jab at his former teammate by suggesting that he didn’t get along with Seth Curry and Andre Drummond, who were included by the Sixersin the blockbuster trade for James Harden.

Seth Curry supports Ben Simmons in his decisionto leave Sixers

“Business is business,” Curry said, per Nick Friedell of ESPN.“I said from day [one], even when he was out early in the season, people were asking me if I feel like, if Ben comes back, should he apologize to us or whatever? I understand the business; he doesn’t need to apologize to anybody. When he’s on the court, I know he’s going to do his job and he’s going to do what he does. So I understand the business. He was doing what he felt was best for himself business-wise and personal-wise.

“And the team’s going to do the same thing as far as making trades or whatever, so I understand it, I’ve been around it; I don’t take anything personal. When we’re on the court, we’re teammates. Everything’s fine. And we depend on each other to do good things. There’s been nothing negative he’s done to me personally, so I’m fine.”

Seth Curry shuts down Danny Green’s comments about his relationship with Simmons

Danny Green lit some fire when he claimed that Simmons was not on’cordial terms’ with current Nets teammatesCurry and Andre Drummond when they were together in Philadelphia. However, Seth has firmly denied what the 34-year-old said.

“The relationship was fine,”Curry said.“He wasn’t around. So I don’t know what [Green] meant by that. ‘Wasn’t cordial,’ I don’t know what that means, but the relationship was fine. He just wasn’t around so we didn’t see him a lot or we didn’t talk a lot. But as far as now, he’s on my [team]… So I’m looking forward to getting back out there with him and doing good stuff.”

The good old days of Simmons in Philadelphia are way part of the past and now it seems that he only has ‘enemies’ where he used to have friends. However, he probably knew his decision would not sit well with everyone, and what matters is that his current teammates do support him.

Simmons had towaitfor months but he eventually got away with what he wanted. However, his exit was far from being quiet and continues to make noise, with former teammates like Joel Embiid and Danny Green still talking about him.

The veteran small forward has recently talked about the Sixers’ upcoming home game against the Nets, addressing the possibility that Simmons shows up. Besides, he spoke about his deteriorated relationship with other Sixers players.

Danny Green doesn’t expect Ben Simmons to play in Sixers-Nets game on March 10

“Now will we shake hands to start? Probably not,” Green saidin hislatest“Inside the Green Room” podcast, as quoted by Kyle Neubeck of the Philly Voice. “First, I’d be highly surprised if he even plays in that game.

“If he does play in that game, I’d be highly surprised. But say that does happen, I see it as being a very hectic, playoff-like atmosphere and environment to where it may be very rough for him.”

Things have gotten very ugly between Simmons and the fanbase ever since the playoff debacle in the 2020-21, so Phillywould certainly be a tough atmosphere to play at for the Australian.

Green says Simmons didn’t have a good relationship with Andre Drummond and Seth Curry

Green has also revealed that Simmons didn’t have quite a good relationship with Andre Drummond and Seth Curry, who have joined him in the move to Brooklyn as part of the blockbuster trade.

“Interesting dynamic of how things went down,” Green said. “Interesting dynamic of who went with him. I haven’t had a chance to talk to those guys yet, but I know they weren’t on the most cordial terms when he was in Philly with [Andre Drummond and Seth Curry]. So I wonder how that relationship is now.”

LeBron James and Anthony Davis were the most efficient and productive duo in the league throughout the whole season and The Brow lived up to the task by leading the Lakers to their first NBA championship in a decade.

Also, both LeBron and Davis are represented by Rich Paul and Klutch Sports, and there’s just no way that he’s going to let his client walk away from the purple and gold after just one season at the Staples Center.

However, Davis is reportedly taking his time to consider the length and conditions of his new deal with the Lakers, as he could either sign a 5-year deal or try and adapt his new contract to LeBron James’ timeline.

Danny Green Posts Pic Of Anthony Davis In Lakers Gear, Then Deletes It

That’s why it seems like former Los Angeles Lakers shooting guard Danny Green will have to buy Anthony Davis dinner the next time he’s in town, as he accidentally leaked what everybody knows already: he’s going back to the Lakers.

Green posted an Instagram story congratulating Davis on his new deal – while wearing Lakers gear – pretty much implying that it was a done deal already despite AD’s attempts to convince people otherwise.

Truth be told, it would be wise for Davis to just sign a deal that fits LeBron James’ contract so he can explore free agency again once The King decides to retire or leave the franchise, rather than commiting for 5 years right away. Whatever the case may be, it seems like we’re going to see a lot of The Brow at LA for many years to come.