The San Antonio Spurs’ pursuit of free agent LaMarcus Aldridge put Danny Green’s future into question with the franchise, but ESPN’s Chris Broussard reports the shooting guard is sticking around.
Sources: Danny Green has agreed to a 4 year, $45 million deal with the Spurs
— Chris Broussard (@Chris_Broussard) July 1, 2015
Green rose to league-wide popularity in 2013 when he set a record for most three-pointers in an NBA Finals series, when he buried 27 triples against the Miami Heat. San Antonio lost that matchup, but it toppled LeBron James and the Heat in the 2014 Finals.
Last season, the North Carolina product capitalized on injuries to the Spurs’ backcourt and tallied career-high averages in every major statistical category. Green amassed 11.7 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.1 blocks over 28.5 minutes of work.
He also shot 41.8 percent from beyond the arc, racked up a 114 offensive rating and posted an impressive 100 defensive mark.
Most importantly for San Antonio, Green provided a little flexibility for the team moving forward. ESPN’s Marc Stein reported Khris Middleton and the Milwaukee Bucks are closing in on a five-year, $70 million contract, so comparatively, Green’s deal is an absolute steal for the Spurs.
But the front office wasn’t done.
Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports reports San Antonio has shipped Tiago Splitter to the Atlanta Hawks.
The San Antonio Spurs have traded center Tiago Splitter to the Atlanta Hawks, league sources tell Yahoo Sports.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2015
The center appeared in a career-low 52 games in 2014-15, largely due to a nagging calf injury. He managed 8.2 points and 4.8 rebounds per outing, but the 7-footer is considered one of the NBA’s top interior defenders.
Splitter—who was due $8.5 million next season, per HoopsHype—was almost certainly traded to open the necessary cap space for the Spurs to land Aldridge.
San Antonio will send head coach Gregg Popovich, power forward Tim Duncan and point guard Tony Parker to meet with the power forward on Wednesday.
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