Gerald Green: Indiana Pacers Are Wrong Landing Spot for the High-Flying Guard - Bleacher Report

Gerald Green was one of the breakout sensations in the NBA this past season, going from the D-League's Los Angeles D-Fenders to the New Jersey Nets and sticking around. 

Now, he's going to hinder his development by latching onto the Indiana Pacers roster, according to the Indianapolis Star's Mike Wells: 

In 31 games with the Nets, Green averaged 12.9 points, 1.1 assists and 3.5 rebounds per game. He even appeared as a starter twice. 

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Good luck fitting into that role with the Indiana Pacers, a team that thrives on offense by committee. He'll be stuck behind Paul George and Danny Granger on the roster, which will cut into his potential playing time significantly.

As the Brooklyn Nets don't have the money necessary to realistically match this offer sheet, that's exactly where it looks like he'll end up.  

Green has a better chance at earning a few wins with the Pacers in the playoffs, but he won't be a huge factor. He would have had a chance to make a large impact if he went to a team with a hole at shooting guard and a little bit of money to offer. 

The primary calling card for this shooting guard (who can also play small forward) is athleticism. Not too many players can produce highlights like the one you can see in the embedded video here. 

However, Green's athleticism isn't going to be quite as beneficial while on the same team as other high-fliers like George and Granger. Unless he strengthens other facets of his game, he won't be able to get on the court long enough to throw down too many more windmill alley-oops. 

Green had all the potential in the world to compete for the Most Improved Player award during the 2012-2013 season, but he had to end up on a team that had a dire need for his services, not one that will turn him into a bench player. 

This is a good signing for the Pacers because they get the services of a great young talent, and he'll produce off the bench while providing depth in the second unit, but it's not a good move from Green's perspective. 

However, at least he's not in the D-League anymore.