Jeff Green is already decent. The problem is that he'll probably never be much more than that.
A lot of fans seem to have talked themselves into believing that Green will eventually become a star-level player, a capable replacement for Paul Pierce. That's not happening. Green will show flashes of brilliance, but I think he'll always be an inconsistent player.
I completely agree with this. And that's what we signed up for. Many on this blog don't seem to understand that in today's NBA, a decent yet inconsistent 6'10" combo SF/PF with a variety of skills costs $8-9M per year. Just the way it is.
I mean...we did get him (plus Kristic plus a draft pick) for Kendrick Perkins. If we got the next Pierce in that deal, it would have been the trade of the century.
A decent, inconsistent player has to cost 8-9 million a year? That's just the way the business of NBA basketball works? And you've come to grips with this before most?
Sure there are inconsistent and decent players who got bad contracts that pay them as much as a Green but good teams try and not make that mistake. A team doesn't have to sign one of those players to a bad contract. It's not the cost of doing business.
Here are the players making about as much as Green:
Biedrins: Bad deal due to heavy deterioration of abilities; not a bad deal at the time though
Nash:More than worth it.
Ryan Anderson: Worth it. And better than decent.
Shawn Marion: Worth it and better than decent
Millsap: Worth it and better than decent
Jameer Nelson: Not having the greatest of seasons thus far but I happen to think he's worth it and been a 8-9 million player or better in the past
Mo Williams: Worth it, solid point and better than decent anyway
Rodney Stuckey: Struggled and probably not worth it. More of a MLE player like Green.
Devin Harris: Not worth it now.
Jeremy Lin: Not worth it thus far, although better lately.
Omer Asik: Oh yes.
Anderson Varejao: Yes again
Thaddeus Young: Very solid player and what I wish Green could be like
Marvin Williams: Nope
Lamar Odom: Besides last season, well worth it
Villaneueva/Tyrus Thomas/John Salmons: No
So anyway, while there are some players making 8-9 million a year who are inconsistent and just decent, even at best, saying that is the norm is wrong. For 8-9 million, many teams are getting their money's worth and more. The quality of the players who get that amount are usually pretty good or better. The badly run teams sign undeserving players to 8-9 million a year. I wish the Celtics didn't number among them.