Can Danny Green have a role with the Sixers in his age-36 season?

Ready or not, another season of 76ers basketball is right around the corner. With that being said, it is once again time for preseason player profiles at Liberty Ballers.

We already looked at the two-way guys and players the team has signed to Exhibit 10 contracts, Filip Petrusev, Furkan Korkmaz and Jaden Springer looking forward to how they could impact the team in the 2023-24 season.

Danny Green

Age: 36

Contract status: One-year deal (non-guaranteed)

What a weird and winding road it’s been for Danny Green since he was traded by the Sixers.

Green suffered a torn ACL in his left leg early in the Sixers’ elimination loss in Game 6 to the Heat in the 2022 playoffs. It was a deflating injury for the team and a difficult one for Green, then 34 years old. During the offseason, the Sixers used Green’s contract (along with a first-round pick) to acquire De’Anthony Melton from the Memphis Grizzlies.

Green rehabbed impressively, returning to the court on Feb. 1 for the Grizzlies, less than nine months from his devastating injury. He played in just three contests for Memphis before being traded to the Houston Rockets at the deadline. After being bought out by Houston, the then-35-year-old went back to where it all started, signing with the Cavaliers for rest of the season, returning to Cleveland where his career began in 2009. Green played only eight regular-season games with the Cavs and saw 40 minutes total in Cleveland’s series loss to the New York Knicks in five games.

Season outlook: Green’s deal is not guaranteed for this season, a source tells Liberty Ballers, which makes this an extremely low-risk, high-reward signing for the Sixers.

During his two years in Philly, Green hit 39.5 percent of his threes on a healthy volume (5.4 attempts a game). In 20 postseason games, those numbers rose to 39.8 percent and 5.7 attempts. Green’s quick trigger and ability as an off-ball mover helped the Sixers’ offense immensely. Also worth keeping in mind that this is not just a team reunion for Green — he started for the Toronto Raptors team that Nick Nurse led to a title.

The obvious issues are Green’s age and the wear and tear on his body. Green never moved particularly well when he was a Sixer. Now 36 and only a little over a year removed from ACL surgery, it’s hard to imagine he’ll move any better.

Still, it’s not hard to forecast a possible role for Green. The Sixers lost Georges Niang, an accurate, quick-trigger three-point shooter that had his issues moving defensively at times. On a team hurting for wing depth, Green might work in that role. He still shot it well in limited action last season (16 of 37, 43.2 percent) and will be farther removed from his injury. With players like Melton, P.J. Tucker and Tobias Harris getting the tough defensive assignments, Green could be OK as a strong team defender with quick hands.

It’s likely all going to boil down to how Green looks physically. If he resembles the 2021-22 version, he can absolutely be useful as a wing option off the bench. If he doesn’t, you move on.