Dallas Mavericks guard/forward Josh Green is looking to improve his game heading into 2023-24. After being selected by the Mavs back in 2020, Green has established himself as a key member of the Dallas rotation, but that hasn't stopped him from looking for ways to get better for the upcoming season.
Recently, Green sat down with Grant Afseth of Sports Illustrated to discuss his goals moving forward.
“I want to be able to be a bigger defensive presence next year for the Mavs,” said Green. “I think this is a perfect time to try. I think I'll be in pretty good shape from picking out full court every game.”
The Mavs could certainly use all of the defensive help they can get. Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving bring a lot of firepower on offense. However, they certainly can't be considered two-way players, and the result was a layup line for Dallas' opponents throughout 2023. The 2022-23 season was a disappointment for Dallas following their surprising run to the Western Conference Finals in 2021-22.
Kyrie Irving's arrival was meant to supplement Doncic's wizardry and elevate the Mavs into championship contender status; however, the exact opposite happened, with Dallas going into a tailspin shortly after Irving's arrival and freefalling down the standings, ultimately ending up with a spot in the NBA lottery instead of the playoffs.
If Josh Green is indeed able to improve defensively while still keeping the opposition honest on offense, it would certainly do a lot to help Dallas' fortunes moving forward.
The Mavs' season is slated to begin on October 25 against the San Antonio Spurs.