{"id":735,"date":"2016-09-18T21:15:23","date_gmt":"2016-09-19T01:15:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonprobasketball.com\/?p=735"},"modified":"2016-09-18T21:18:52","modified_gmt":"2016-09-19T01:18:52","slug":"gerald-green-brad-stevens-project","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2016\/09\/18\/gerald-green-brad-stevens-project\/","title":{"rendered":"Gerald Green is Brad Stevens’ New Reclamation Project"},"content":{"rendered":"

When the Boston Celtics <\/strong>signed\u00a0<\/a>Gerald Green<\/a><\/strong>, they didn\u2019t expect him to contribute more than occasional shooting and athleticism off the bench. However, the swingman’s role has the potential to expand. He has a useful skill-set that will make him coach Brad Stevens<\/strong>\u2019 new reclamation project.<\/p>\n

Gerald Green is Brad Stevens’ New\u00a0Reclamation Project<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Since the Celtics hired Stevens<\/a> as their head coach during the summer of 2013, he has had a knack for getting the most out of his players. Over his three-year tenure as head coach, he has had multiple reclamation projects: he’s picked\u00a0up players whose careers were in jeopardy, given\u00a0those players roles in which they succeeded, and turned\u00a0their careers around \u2014 namely,\u00a0Jordan Crawford<\/a> <\/strong>and Evan Turner<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

2013-14 season: Jordan Crawford<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Up until the 2013-14 season, Crawford was a good, but streaky, scorer. Since being drafted in 2011, he played for the\u00a0Atlanta Hawks, Washington Wizards<\/strong>, and Celtics (for part of the 2012-13 season). He started 64 games but came off the bench for the other 87 in his time with the Wizards and Hawks. The Xavier University <\/strong>alumnus was in danger of falling out of the NBA due to his inconsistent role and lack of a home.<\/p>\n

Instead of forcing Crawford to play in a role that restricted his freedom, Stevens started Crawford\u00a0and let him control the offense. In 35 games as a starter, Crawford\u00a0averaged 14.2 points and 6.0 assists per game. He scored over 20 points in a game a career-high eight times. Eventually,\u00a0he was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0once.\u00a0He averaged 23.3 points and 6.7 assists per game on 61 percent shooting\u00a0from\u00a0December 2nd until\u00a0the 8th in\u00a02013. Once an inconsistent role player, Crawford became a serviceable starter who could run\u00a0an offense.<\/p>\n

Two years later, Crawford still appreciated what Stevens did for him:<\/p>\n

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Brad Stevens but all of them was good https:\/\/t.co\/YnoaRpwD2L<\/a><\/p>\n

— Jordan Crawford (@jcraw55) September 24, 2015<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n