The Golden State Warriors signed Otto Porter Jr. last offseason, which turned out to be a huge success story for both sides. The Warriors won a ring with Porter Jr. playing a large role in the team’s postseason run.
Porter Jr. inked a two-year deal with the Toronto Raptors this offseason after signing for the veteran’s minimum this time last year.
The Golden State Warriors stretch-four was Otto Porter Jr. and now is JaMychal Green, and that difference could cause some problems.
The Dubs also lost defensive mastermind Gary Payton II. Both players had a large part in the Warriors’ NBA Finals run. The two team-transforming moves caused Golden State to venture into free agency and find a few replacements.
To supplement what was lost with Payton II, the Warriors signed for Bucks Champion Donte DiVincenzo. The former first-round pick will be a downgrade defensively but an upgrade over Payton II offensively.
Watching Porter Jr. go should’ve stung a bit more as his unique skill set perfectly fit the Warriors’ system. Golden State will reportedly add former Nuggets forward JaMychal Green after a finalized buyout with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Green isn’t even close to the same caliber three-point shooter as Porter Jr.
Porter Jr. came into his time with the Warriors having shot over 40% from three in three of his last four seasons. A former top-three pick, he had also averaged double figures in 5 of the last 6 seasons.
Green is a less high-profile addition. He wasn’t drafted and struggled to find his footing in the league.
Most recently playing with the Nuggets, the 32-year-old forward has shot over 40% from deep just once in his career and has a 36.6% career average. With the Nuggets last season, he hit just 26.6%.
Also standing 6-foot-8, Green should be able to give similar help on the board which is where he can make up some ground.
He actually has a better rebounding rate on his career than Porter Jr. While not completely indicative of a better rebounder, it does help showcase a potential strength in Green’s play that could help improve the Dubs’ small-ball lineups.
Overall, the three-point shooting is key aspect that will be missed, and there will be hope that Green can bring that as he’s shown he has over his career.