It doesn't matter to Javonte Green whether he starts or comes off the bench for the Chicago Bulls this upcoming season. The 29-year-old forward is happy to be a part of the team and help the Bulls in whatever way he can.
Preseason to remember
It has been a preseason to remember for the 6-foot-4 Virginia native. Although Green played solid basketball last season, appearing in 65 games and averaging 7.2 points and 4.2 rebounds, nobody pegged him to be a key cog for the Bulls this season, with most of the talk involving young forward Patrick Williams and his supposed ascension to stardom — or at least, relevancy.
But Green has proved all the doubters wrong so far and has been one of the most pleasant surprises for the Bulls in the preseason. He is currently averaging 16.7 points on a mindblowing 77% shooting clip.
And while the accuracy is not sustainable, Green's performances have pushed the narrative of him becoming the starting power forward instead of Williams when the Bulls start their season on October 19 against the Miami Heat. Green, though, asserted that he cares about none of that.
"There's no competition," Green said. "We're just here to make the team better. Whoever starts, I feel like we trust the coaching staff to put whoever in the right position. It's a team game. Whatever coach decides, we're with it."
Focused on helping the stars
Green explained that one of his goals during the offseason was to knock down open shots if and when the ball came his way. With All-Stars DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine, and Nikola Vucevic leading the charge for the Bulls, Green knows that his job is to make defenses pay when they put too much pressure on their main guys.
"I was committed this summer to help space the floor to make it easier for Zach (LaVine) and DeMar (DeRozan) and Vooch (Nikola Vučević)," Green said. "Those guys draw a lot of attention. I'm focused on knocking down open shots to take the pressure off those guys."
If he can continue to play at this high level, the Bulls will benefit from it — no matter if he starts or comes off the bench. It's clear that Green is happy to be a part of the team and is focused on helping the Bulls win games, regardless of his role. And that's the kind of attitude every team needs from its players.
"This is not about how many minutes I play as long as I'm contributing to the team. I don't care if I start or if I'm not playing at all. I'm just here to play basketball and make the team better," Green said.
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