Javonte Green wasn’t on an NBA team this season until the Chicago Bulls signed him to a 10-day deal on March 22. MAKE IT MAKE SENSE!
All the 30-year-old has done since arriving back in Chicago is make 30 front offices look dumb. He was sitting right there with the Santa Cruz Warriors for any team to grab. No, his G-League numbers didn’t jump off the page, but Green had 113 games of film from his time in Chicago that showed the kind of role player he could be. Someone should have taken the bait.
Instead, he sat around long enough for the injury-plagued Bulls to snatch back up. And all Green has done since is look like a clear-cut rotation player. This is precisely why the Bulls did what they had to do to make room on the full-time roster. Arturas Karnisovas and Co. opted to waive Terry Taylor and sign Green for the remainder of the season, making him eligible for the Play-In Tournament and any postseason action that could come after.
Green immediately rewarded them for that decision.
The Chicago Bulls beat the New York Knicks on Friday night because of Javonte Green. The versatile forward scored a CAREER-HIGH 25 points on 10-14 shooting. He also grabbed a CAREER-HIGH 13 rebounds. Let me remind you, the Knicks hold the league’s 8th-best defensive rating and the single-best REB%.
Green was always in the right place at the right time. He either outhustled the Knicks in transition or found his way into the paint for some easy interior feeds and finishes. New York looked helpless trying to stay locked into him at times, as he never stopped moving his feet and rocked the rim on multiple occasions.
The performance ended up being a perfect example of the relentless energy and effort Green can bring to the floor. He isn’t the most talented shooter or ball-handler, but Green is the kind of freak athlete who will make his impression on the game felt.
If you missed the action, make sure to watch the highlights below. Again, this guy went from playing 10 games in the G-League to forcing the NBA’s main page to post about him. What a bounce back!