Donovan Mitchell admits he ‘hated’ longtime friend Danny Green when veteran played against LeBron James’ Heat teams

The Cleveland Cavaliers made a big splash in the buyout market when news dropped that they agreed to a deal with veteran wing Danny Green. Cavs star Donovan Mitchell is surely excited about the addition for numerous reasons.

Not only is Green going to be a nice fit for the Cavs, but he and Mitchell also have a friendship that goes back many years.

The two ballers grew up in New York, and Mitchell played against Green’s younger brother in AAU ball in the New York area.

Though Mitchell and Green seem like old friends now, Mitchell himself admitted that he used to hate the three-time NBA champion.

More specifically, Mitchell hated Green when the veteran’s San Antonio Spurs played in the NBA Finals against LeBron James’ Miami Heat teams, who Mitchell loved.

“I hated him at that time,” Mitchell said with a laugh. “But I’ve known Danny and his family since I was 11 or 12 years old. It’s kind of crazy how life works. A lot of things come full circle, especially for me this year. I think the first thing you think of is his shooting, the way he can space the floor.”

Mitchell went on to describe why he thinks Green — who is admittedly quite a bit older than the typical Cavs player at the moment — will fit in perfectly with the current group of guys. He labeled him as a “calming veteran presence with a great personality.”

Those kinds of guys are surely always welcome in NBA locker rooms despite any potential age gap.

So far this season, Green has only appeared in three games. Last season, in a healthier sample size of 62 games and 28 starts with the Philadelphia 76ers, Green put up some decent stats.

He averaged 5.9 points, 2.5 boards, 1.0 steal and 1.0 assist per game. He shot 38.0 percent from deep. He’s got a shooting clip of 39.9 percent from deep over his NBA career.

Perhaps the most important thing that Green brings to the table for the Cavs is his playoff experience and championship pedigree.

He’s played in the playoffs in 12 seasons of his career, and he’s won three titles along the way. With the Cavs clearly destined to be a rather high seed once the playoffs get underway, Green’s calming presence will certainly go a long way in making sure the Cavs are focused and prepared.