3 reasons why Mavericks guard Josh Green will become an All-Star

As a potential contract extension looms large for Josh Green and Dallas, the question of just how good he can be is at the forefront of many fans' minds. It seems like Green wants to remain in Dallas, but will Dallas give him an extension?

Green has flashed some uncanny potential in his time in Dallas, but he will need to become more consistent if he wishes to reach the next level as an elevated role player or even an All-Star. Dallas may have to make a decision on his future in the coming years if he only gets marginally better, but with Green poised to not turn 23 until mid-November, the writing is on the wall for him to harness his potential as a former first-round pick.

Here are three reasons why Josh Green will become an All-Star one day.

3. Josh Green has gotten better every season he's been in the league

Josh Green's rookie year was riddled with inconsistent playing time from then Mavericks' head coach Rick Carlisle. Green played in only 39 games throughout the entire season in 2020-21. While Green certainly wasn't ready on day one to be a consistent valve in the rotation, it's at least worth considering that Carlisle probably should've gotten him some more minutes that weren't exclusively in low-stakes moments.

Green improved marginally the next year in reserve minutes for the Mavericks under head coach Jason Kidd in the 2021-22 season. He saw more consistent minutes from game to game but still didn't have an integral role with the Mavericks and mostly was used when the Mavericks needed a defensive energy jolt.

Green also played a limited role in Dallas' playoff run, and despite shooting poorly in his first playoffs, Green showed flashes of being able to play in high-intensity moments, and the experience he gained was invaluable.

As most fans know, Josh Green's biggest improvement came in year three of his NBA career. Green evolved into a guy the Mavericks could trust as a tertiary playmaker as his ability to find cutters and shooters off of drives was much more featured in the Dallas offense. After he reportedly toned out and got to an ideal body fat percentage (subscription required) during the 2022 offseason, Green looked as explosive on drives as we've seen him in Dallas.

He still needs to improve his handle some, but he was able to get to the rim and finish in one-on-one scenarios more often than not last year. Atop the strides Green took in his game last year were his defense and shot-making from outside.

Green improved from downtown drastically last year, shooting above 40 percent on three-point attempts after shooting an abysmal 30.5 percent in his first two seasons combined. His athletic tools translated from chaos to productivity on defense as he became much more disciplined with his on-ball defense and made fewer mental lapses off-ball.

Green has improved every season since he's been in the league, and if he stays on this current trajectory, he will assuredly have a starting role carved out for him in Dallas for the foreseeable future.

2. Josh Green showed promise as the "main guy" while Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving were out

In 11 games last year without Luka Doncic, Josh Green averaged 15.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game. In the four games that both Luka and Kyrie missed since the trade for Irving was made, Green upped those numbers to 23.5 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 5.0 assists per game.

Although the sample size is extremely limited in both the instances of Doncic and Irving being out, it does bode credence to the fact that Green has some untapped areas to expand upon within his game that could take it to the next level.

In expanded opportunities with the ball in his hands, Green showed the ability to get around defenders by using euro-steps, hop-steps, and spin moves to create space for himself to finish after initially blowing past his defender. He did so at a rate that was much more often than when he was relegated to more of a tertiary role on offense.

Green also grew his shot diet, as he cashed in on floaters and turn-around mid-range shots in limited opportunities much more consistently comparable to his first two seasons in the league. By no means are the aforementioned things Green did without other ball handlers in the lineup strengths for him, but they are skills that can be added more consistently without sacrificing team-wide offensive productivity.

Green is far away from having an in-between game that can be relied upon consistently, but if he can improve that as well as elevate his playmaking to another level, then it's irrefutable to say he isn't a player with All-Star potential.

1. Josh Green has the hard part down

Green is already so good at a bunch of different aspects of basketball that are criminally underrated.

In a season where one-dimensionality on offense from the wing position plagued the Mavericks, he was excellent as a cutter, offensive and defensive rebounder (due to his hustle), and passer out of the short roll.

Green will certainly be tested much more by defenses on close-outs next year.

But if he maintains his current level of shooting at increased volume next year, he is going to be a very troubling player for opponents to game-plan for, even if he doesn't expand upon his current offensive repertoire.

It's well documented how stellar of an athlete Josh Green is.

With a 6-foot-10 wingspan and 40-inch running vertical leap, his athleticism is prolific enough to enable him to become the true versatile 3-and-D guard/wing that the Mavericks have been lacking.

Green is already such a menace on defense, as he competes 94 feet and seemingly never runs out of stamina given his workload. He routinely guards the opposing team's best player unless it's a big, but with the addition of Grant Williams and Derrick Jones Jr., he can focus on guarding smaller wings and guards.

Green idealistically fits into a Marcus Smart/Lu Dort type role on defense.

Pestering the opposing team's best guard, picking apart switches, and flying in for steals as a help or off-ball defender will need to be much larger points of continuity compared to Green's preemptive overreactions or silly fouls we saw every so often last year.

Green is poised to at least fine-tune certain intricacies of his game on both offense and defense throughout his NBA career, granted good health. But given the things he already does so well in tandem with his measurements, any fourth-year leap that is comparable to how drastic Green's third-year leap was would certainly thrust him into a fringe All-Star tier.

Given how exclusive All-Star spots are in the Western Conference, only time will tell if Green will join Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving as the third All-Star on the Mavs' roster at some point in time.