Why Danny Green Refuses to Root Against 76ers After Release

Danny Green felt he had unfinished business with the Philadelphia 76ers.

So, when the team called him in the dog days of free agency, Green felt it was a no-brainer decision to return to the Sixers, which reunited him with Nick Nurse years after they spent a season together on the Toronto Raptors.

It was the ideal scenario for Green, who hoped to remain healthy enough through a playoff run with the Sixers, contributing to them potentially getting over the second-round hump. Unfortunately, the veteran was caught in the crossfire of the early blockbuster trade between the Sixers and the Los Angeles Clippers.

Green wasn’t involved in the deal that landed the Clippers James Harden once and for all. Instead, he was cut loose so the Sixers could free up a roster spot to complete the deal.

With a full roster, the Sixers sent three players packing: Harden, PJ Tucker, and Filip Petrusev. In return, they landed Marcus Morris, KJ Martin, Robert Covington, and Nic Batum.

Green, who signed a non-guaranteed contract with the 76ers, was waived as a follow-up move.

Are there hard feelings? Not exactly.

During a recent segment on Run It Back on FanDuel TV, Green admitted that he’s actively rooted against teams that he’s no longer on based on principle. However, the Sixers are an exception.

“I think it’s the same for all of us. I’ve been doing this long enough to where I’m ok with hurting some people’s feelings,” Green said. “I will say this: I’m not rooting against Philly right now.”

Green’s unwillingness to root against the Sixers might come as a bit of a shock, considering the Sixers have now traded and waived Green on different occasions. Unsurprisingly, Green confirms some previous rumors that surfaced shortly after he was cut.

“I’m still watching those guys,” Green added. “I root for my friends on the team that I left. I still want to see them do well. The team itself, you don’t want to see them do well unless you leave on a good note. Toronto, I left on a really good note. LA, I left on a pretty good note. Still, you kind of watch how they play, and you don’t hope they do so great now that you’re gone. With Philly, I’m still rooting for them because I think there’s an opportunity for me to end up back there, hopefully in the near future.”

Despite losing his roster spot after the trade, Green is holding out hope that the Sixers find room for him later on down the line. 

This season, Green appeared in just two games for the Sixers. He averaged nine minutes on the court, only putting up two shots during his limited action. Defensively, Green collected two rebounds and snatched a steal.

It’s unclear if Green will get a true second chance with the Sixers — but if a roster spot opens up sometime in the near future, the 36-year-old three-time champion is a name to keep an eye on.