The Charlotte Hornets' road win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday featured impressive defense from the visitors. Josh Green played a huge role on that end, proving he can thrive as a 3-and-D piece off the bench.
Does that mean he should accept that he won't be getting back his spot in the starting lineup that he locked up last season?
It's not as if Green has a choice. Kon Knueppel has already secured his role as a franchise centerpiece and, by extension, as a starter. His injury also cost him the opportunity to prove his capability to start alongside LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller.
Less pressure for Josh Green
Things may have turned out for the better for Green, though. It has become clear that a reserve role suits him more aptly, and his performance against the Cavs is evidence.
He had some amazing defensive possessions hounding Darius Garland on and off the ball. The energy the Australian veteran put on display was lacking at times last season.
Offensively, he helped keep the defense honest, sinking two 3-point shots in the first half. He was quieter in the final two quarters and did not play in overtime. Still, he had already done his part in helping the Hornets build a considerable lead before the intermission.
The thing is, not having to start should put less pressure on Green to produce fitting numbers. Instead, he can focus on turning into a perimeter stopper on defense and a perimeter threat on offense, an outcome Charlotte was hoping to see when it acquired him last year.
Hopefully, the 25-year-old swingman can sustain his decent start to the 2025-26 season. It's hard for some fans to get their hopes up after witnessing him turn heads during his first appearances in a Hornets uniform, only for him to regress into someone they want shipped out at the soonest possible time.
The number of people who share that sentiment may have dipped a bit after his noteworthy outing on Sunday. After all, he could help catalyze Buzz City's inadequate wing defense. Optimism abounds after the team held the Cavs scoreless in the extra period and forced Garland and Donovan Mitchell into shooting a combined 14-43 from the field.
Only time will tell if Green can become an effective 3-and-D reserve for the Hornets. If he manages to meet expectations, the squad will take a massive step in the right direction on defense, especially with Sion James already making some teams regret allowing him to fall to the second round of this year's draft.