JaMychal Green Needs to Step Up

By jasaad | Feb 22, 2015

Jan 22, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bulls center Nazr Mohammed (48) defends San Antonio Spurs forward JaMychal Green (41) during the second half at the United Center. The Chicago Bulls defeated the San Antonio Spurs 104-81. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports /

The Memphis Grizzlies and JaMychal Green have agreed to a second 10-day contract, as announced by the Grizzlies’ general manager, Chris Wallace.

This marks the third 10-day pact for the 6-foot-9 power forward, who spent a single 10-day stint with the San Antonio Spurs last month; however, this will be the final short-term arrangement he can sign with Memphis this season, which would have to either sign him for the duration of the season next time or let him walk.

Green has been a desirable commodity for a plethora of ball clubs. The Knicks, Bucks, Bulls, and Blazers have all shown interest after he began the season with San Antonio’s D-League affiliate. Green managed 23 points and 10.7 rebounds in 31.6 minutes per game in 20 D-League appearances this year.

NBA coaches haven’t been as generous to Green in terms of playing time, however, as he’s seen just 6.3 minutes per game in six total games with San Antonio and Memphis.

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Green’s solid performance as a starter in the D-League earned him NBA D-League Player of the Month for games in December; he ranked sixth in the D-League in scoring and rebounding per game and tied for seventh in double-doubles (15) before his time with the Grizzlies (among players with at least 10 games played).

He’s only garnered four points and 2.5 rebounds in 6.5 minutes in two games for Memphis, but Green’s impressive per 36 numbers of 22.2 points and 13.8 rebounds per game on 60 percent shooting during that span suggests that Green could be an effective rotation player if allotted more playing time.

His eight points on 3-for-3 shooting from the field in nine minutes against the Timberwolves on Feb. 6 help to support this theory.

The caveat with Green’s game seems to be his inability to take care of the basketball. He coughed it up twice in just over three minutes in his most recent game with the Grizzlies, and he turns the ball over 8.3 times per 36 minutes as a Grizzly.

Of course, this is an incredibly small sample size of his talent, but fortunately, the forward from Alabama’s minutes will increase since Amar’e Stoudemire decided to sign with the Mavericks and Jon Leuer is struggling mightily on the court.

JaMychal is aiming to make a name for himself in the pros after going undrafted in the 2012 NBA draft. He averaged 13.5 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks in 123 games over four seasons at the University of Alabama, and he appeared in 25 games for Chorale Roanne of the LNB Pro A League in France during the 2013-14 season.

The unproven, undrafted commodity out of Alabama will never be a Star player, but if he could provide just 10 productive minutes in the playoffs for a Grizzlies team that is battling for a championship, then the residents of Memphis and the entire Grizzlies Nation will forever be grateful. The opportunity has presented itself; it’s time for Green to prove he belongs.

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