It's probably a bit unfair that Josh Green has been treated almost exclusively as a throw-in player in the LaMelo Ball trade. LaMelo was obviously the main appeal of the trade, but make no mistake: Green can still help the Timberwolves.
Another factor that has caused some to gloss over Green's fit is that the Timberwolves were reportedly considering trading him to address their power forward void (which they could still do hypothetically).
This wasn't a knock against Green, who's a rock-solid role player. Simply put, he's not a true power forward and one of the Wolves' few tradable contracts. Let's put these trade possibilities aside, though, and explore Green's rather seamless fit with the Timberwolves.
Josh Green can uplift the Timberwolves on both ends of the floor
The term 3-and-D is pretty overused in the modern NBA. However, Green is a classic 3-and-D wing. 48.9 percent of Green's career field goal attempts are from beyond the arc, and he's netted 38.7 percent of them.
Frankly, Green doesn't offer a ton outside of shooting on offense. The 6-foot-6 wing has averaged just 4.9 field goals for his career and doesn't offer much self-creation or playmaking.
For the Wolves, that's more than fine, though. They have a ton of self-creation with Anthony Edwards, LaMelo Ball, Jaden McDaniels, and Ayo Dosunmu. Having a low-usage wing who can play off the Wolves' stars is super beneficial, and this could even give Green a sneaky path to earning a spot in the starting lineup.
Green is also a pretty tenacious defender. Typically, Green is deployed at the point-of-attack using his 6-foot-10 wingspan, strength, and IQ to disrupt opponents on the ball. Having an extra point-of-attack defender is something any team could always use.
Largely due to his defensive chops, Green was a consistent rotational player on the 2024 Dallas Mavericks team that made an NBA Finals run.
I also think Green's defensive versatility is a bit underrated. Notably, he spent 31 percent of his time guarding opposing power forwards last season per B-Ball Index. Likewise, with Green's aforementioned strength and length, he could have some success guarding fours more often -- and the Wolves might need him to.
Will Green be the Wolves' long-term power forward solution? I doubt it. But can he help fill this void as a stopgap option? I think so.
Without a doubt, though, Green's best trait is his defense, and that's perfect for a Wolves team that has established an incredible defensive culture.
Players like Green are important to winning teams
When it's all said and done, I see Green being a valuable contributor for the Timberwolves. He'll probably hover around 20 minutes per game (even if he earns a starting role). Green isn't a flashy player, but he impacts winning on both ends of the floor, and for a team with plenty of established talent, he can be a real weapon. Truthfully, any team can benefit from a low-maintenance glue guy like Green.
Recent NBA champion Landry Shamet played a similar role as a low-usage spot-up shooter and pesky defender for the New York Knicks. Alex Caruso, though he had some big moments in the playoffs and is a truly elite defender, is another example of a low-usage role player who helped drive winning on a championship team. The point being, players like Green are quite valuable to winning teams.
Overall, Green's fit might not be at the top of Timberwolves fans' minds as the season approaches, but I think they'll be pleasantly surprised by him.
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