Dallas Mavericks: Josh Green will be one of the steals of the 2020 draft

Dallas Mavericks: Josh Green will go down as one of the steals of the 2020 NBA Draft

The Dallas Mavericks selected Josh Green at 18 overall in the 2020 NBA Draft. Many were surprised the team kept the pick. The Mavs want to contend for a title in 2021 and trading their first-rounder for a veteran seemed to fit that mold. Instead, Dallas kept it, and fans are starting to see why.

Green has run with the second unit in both preseason games so far. Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle opted for hockey-style line changes in the first game before mixing the units in the second outing. The Mavs outscored the Bucks by 16 points with Green on the floor in game one as the rookie showcased a versatile skill set. Things were even better in the encore.

Let us take a look at some of his highlights, plus what Carlisle had to say about the rookie to prove that Green is going to be one of the steals of the 2020 NBA Draft.

Dallas Mavericks wing Josh Green will be one of the steals of the 2020 NBA Draft

Before the Mavs second preseason game, Carlisle had this to say about Green.

"“He don’t say nothing. He just plays hard, and he’s got a great background of fundamentals. He’s had terrific coaching. He understands the reads of the game from a spacing standpoint, when to space, when to spot, when to cut, when to drive, when to catch and drive, and when to fake and drive. He’s really beyond his years in terms of his grasp of today’s NBA game. Real smart, he gets things the first time.”"

Carlisle then discussed the challenges young players are facing without summer league before following up with this.

"“He’s been terrific. Right now, he is not going to put up gaudy stats, but he is going to do the basics extremely well, and he’s going to be a guy that fights people defensively.”"

The Mavs selected him because of his 3-and-D potential. Green defends well at the point of attack and has a high basketball IQ. His offensive game has been impressive early on too.

Next: Offense

Dallas Mavericks rookie Josh Green shows off his offensive game

Green showed off his ability to handle the ball and get into the lane against the Bucks. He used a Willie Cauley-Stein screen to attack and hit a beautiful floater.

Green produced a similar play with Boban Marjanovic setting the pick late in the fourth quarter. Fans know the 20-year-old has the athletic ability to get up and slam it. The soft-touch floater is a nice compliment that should make Green even more dangerous.

The 6’6 wing also showed no hesitation firing from long-range. He attempted four threes in 19 minutes on Monday night. None were more impressive than this one. It goes to coach Carlisle’s earlier point. Green smartly spaces the floor and knocks down an open triple.

Most 20-year-old’s do not have that basketball IQ. Green showed no hesitation getting back beyond the 3-point line and nailing the shot when the ball came his way.

The 20-year-old is a worker with a strong base. Expect him to continue growing in the Dallas Mavericks system. They will improve his 3-point shot, defense, and secondary skills. Green is already in the rotation but could blossom into a starter for the next decade-plus after a few years of seasoning. Let us look at what Carlisle had to say after the game, and why Green is one of the steals of this draft.

Next: Steal of draft

Dallas Mavericks wing Josh Green will go down as one of the steals of the 2020 NBA Draft

After the second preseason game against the Bucks, Mavs coach Rick Carlisle was asked about Green’s performance. See his quote below.

"“He’s progressing, and he’s aggressive. His aggression is done in a way that he keeps a lot of risk out of the game. He understands where the space is on the floor. He is one of our best cutters. Cutting is not a thing you hear talked about a whole lot in the media. It is not a very glorified aspect of the NBA game, but with the way the game is spaced now, and the way defenses slough off on the weak side, you got to have guys that are very good at it. Green is great at it.”"

The 20-year-old is already doing the little things that teams need. Some of the rookies that were picked ahead of him have struggled this preseason and look far from the rotation. Green is primed to have a role as a rookie with the upside to continue playing more each year.

Fans will look back in five years and say Greens should have been a top ten pick. The 20-year-old is going to get it done on both ends of the floor. He will grow and develop with the Dallas Mavericks into a starter that defends the other team’s best scorer.

Josh Green is a player to watch all season long. The Dallas Mavericks are extremely high on his prospects. Expect continued growth as the 20-year-old finds his footing in the NBA. Green could be special. The Mavs look like they found another gem in the draft that will be a solid role player flanking Luka Doncic for years to come.

That is just one more thing for Mavericks fans to be excited about going forward. Stay tuned.