Gerald Green was initially believed to be recruited to provide some scoring sock off the bench during the offseason. But from what is happening now with his stint with the Miami Heat, he has been a defensive revelation for the team thus far.
Better yet, the 29-year-old National Basketball Association (NBA) player is enjoying making stops against opposing teams which should make him a more valuable asset for the intangibles that some players and teams may have forgotten as of late.
It was his ignorance of playing defense last year with the Phoenix Suns that led to his slashed playing time. But it seems that Suns coach Jeff Hornacek may have lacked a bit in the area of explaining why he needed to do so.
And whatever misunderstanding Green had back then is pretty clear now and the Heat are benefitting from it.
For someone who averaged about 20.8 points in 36 minutes of action over the last two seasons, it wasn't difficult to understand why the Heat picked him up and at a bargain as well. With the team lacking the proper players to spell the starters like Dwyane Wade or Luol Deng, Green seemed to be the man.
Although he still showed that scoring prowess in the offseason, it seems that his knack for racking up points is secondary to his primary role of making stops. And now, he is hoping that with his new found joy, such would lead to a longer tenure with the franchise.
He signed on for one season for $1.4 million, but Green is hoping that he would be lucky enough to be blessed with a multi-year deal by season's end. But if he continues to maintain his defensive prowess, keeping him for years to come may not be impossible from happening.
"So what is a Miami Heat requirement? To D-up. I know if I want to be here the rest of my career, (forget) offense. I gotta D-up. That's where my mind is at," says Green via the myPalmBeachPost.
