Philadelphia 76ers: Danny Green is definitely in on the joke

On a day where seemingly every member of the Philadelphia 76ers expected a slew of questions about the 6-foot-11 240 pound man in out the room, who’d have thought so many players would have not so nice things go say about Danny Green?

From Joel Embiid yelling “Danny Green, you suck!” during his teammate’s time at the mic to Tyrese Maxey going on a seemingly scripted rant about Green being a 54-year-old man in his third decade in the league, it felt like no one had a nice word to say about the Sixers’ prized free agent signee, even if it was mostly said in jest (I assume).

I mean, I get Green’s market wasn’t quite what he expected this summer, as the majority of the teams interested in his services wanted him for the mid-level exception, but is this really what Green signed up for? A steady stream of verbal jabs like he’s sparring with Rocky Balboa?

*sigh* no wonder Green wanted to play elsewhere; even the players are mean.

All jokes aside, these jabs at the expense of “The Green Ranger” may actually be a good thing if for no other reason than it shows a lighthearted camaraderie between the players in attendance. Considering the current state of the franchise, I wouldn’t be surprised if Green himself was responsible for steering the Philadelphia 76ers’ newfound tightness.

Danny Green is a beyond valuable leader for the Philadelphia 76ers.

As things presently stand, Danny Green is the Philadelphia 76ers’ most tenured player.

He’s the team’s lone player born before 1990, has appeared in 757 regular season games plus 153 more in the playoffs, and is the only player with at least one Championship ring in his trophy case, let alone three.

Green has transitioned from second-round pick largely relegated to the then-D-League to a plucky young shooter and ultimately to a veteran player equally as valued for his locker room presence as his on-field performance. He’s played alongside some of the best players in the league from Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobli, to Kawhi Leonard, LeBron James, and Anthony Davis, and leaders like Tony Parker, Kyle Lowry, and Rajon Rondo who maybe don’t get the credit they are due for galvanizing an offense.

Let’s just say you don’t earn the nickname “the ultimate teammate” without being a, well, a good teammate.

While many a fan league-wide hypothesized about trading Ben Simmons for any number of packages – my personal favorite being one centered around Darius Garland – Green preached unity in the face of uncertainty. When it became apparent that Simmons would not be back with the team, Green expressed an openness to take on any role presented to him based on the roster’s new composition, be that in the starting lineup or coming off the bench.

And when Simmons made his holdout official, Green praised Tyrese Maxey to all who would listen both in virtual attendance, at the Philadelphia 76ers’ training center in Camden, New Jersey, and the scores of fans following along at home, calling his teammate special and a future star.

Inconsistent? Sure, but when you’re a company man, sometimes you have to toe the line and contextualize things in a flattering way.

In all of sports, but the NBA in most of all, having good chemistry is key. With only 15 players on the active roster plus up to two more on two-way contracts, if a few players don’t like each other for one reason or another it can quite literally split a team in half and create awkward situations that overshadow the greater good. While Danny Green may not be the best player in the league at any one thing on the court, even corner 3s, he’s earned a well-deserved reputation for being one of the best glue guys in the business, which, in case you haven’t noticed, could be incredibly valuable for the Philadelphia 76ers moving forward as they navigate these choppy waters sans their second-best player.