Leaving home never crossed Green’s mind
Unfinished business, bond with team, city made choice easy
Gerald Green listed the reasons he was determined to sign with the Rockets, reaching his agreement in the first hours of free agency. But there was one that clearly took precedence and that no other NBA team could match.
The Rockets are the only team that plays in Houston. That, Green said between games at the Las Vegas Summer League on Monday, was the most convincing argument that could be made.
“For all the hard work I’ve been putting in and all my dreams, it felt good,” Green said of reaching a deal on his oneyear, $2.4 million contract. “Everybody knows in my heart where I wanted to be. It’s tough to leave my home.”
With that, he pivoted to the theme of the Rockets’ plans for next season, citing the same sort of work to be completed that teammate Chris Paul, who reached his contract as quickly and signed on Saturday, mentioned the night before.
Speaking before forward Luc Mbah a Moute agreed to a oneyear deal to return to the Los Angeles Clippers, Green said he wants to take the steps the Rockets could not last season when they lost the Western Conference finals in seven games.
“We have a lot of unfinished business,” Green said. “I don’t like to start something and quit. We’re trying to get this ring. I’m going to do anything I can. I want to be a part of it.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen a situation (where) I saw grown men cry because of how close we were. You might never get that close again. I feel so good about this team; that is why I wanted to come back. Everybody doesn’t want to have that same feeling. Like James (Harden) said, we were right there, 12 minutes away. Twelve minutes away. We’d have won it. I think so. I know so. That’s what irks us.”
Green had signed a 10-day contract with the Rockets on Dec. 28 to fill in while Paul and Mbah a Moute were out with injuries and took off when Harden was hurt. He excelled in an instant offense role, but he impressed the Rockets with his enthusiasm even when he slipped out of the rotation when they tried to work in free-agent signee Joe Johnson. By the playoffs, Green was back in the mix.
Green averaged 12.1 points in 22.7 minutes in his 41 games with the Rockets. He averaged 6.3 points in 16 minutes in the playoffs.
“How can I leave the Rockets organization after all the things they’ve done for me in a short amount of time? Green said. “I can’t do that. I found a home. I love what (general manager) Daryl Morey is doing. I love what the owner (Tilman Fertitta) is doing. I love what the coach (Mike D’Antoni) is doing. I want to be a part of it. I’m a die-hard Houstonian. I don’t even see myself on another team.”
Green began his day on Monday sitting across the Cox Pavilion Court from the New Orleans Pelicans’ bench, wearing a cap with the word “Houston” in script across the front and proudly watching his brother Garlon try to catch the eye of NBA scouts.
“I came out to see my brother, to support him,” Green said. “He played a really good game, really good defensively.”
When asked if his brother’s defense could slow him, Green said Garlon’s defense is good, but he is not on the list of those that can slow him.
“I always say,” Green said, “Can’t nobody stop me but the coach and the referees, man.”
He was as certain about the city he wanted to represent.