Danny Green brushes off talk of potential Knicks homecoming

Danny Green may not be as coveted a free agent as teammate Kawhi Leonard this summer, but that doesn’t mean the rumor mill isn’t still swirling for him.

Speaking with reporters this weekend before Game 2 of the NBA Finals, the Toronto Raptors swingman received a question about the New York Knicks’ reported interest in signing him. Green, a Long Island native who still spends his offseasons there, brushed off the topic but did tell a story about how the Knicks pursued him back in 2015.

“Last thing on our minds,” said Green, per the New York Post’s Marc Berman. “We’re worried about winning some games and coming out with a ring would be nice.

“The [Knicks] reached out [in 2015] and sent a text,” he added. “My deal [four-year, $40 million] was done so fast I was pretty much only talking to them. It happened so fast. I was barely a free agent. I knew we had a good crew coming back and felt I had a good chance of winning again.”

While inconsistent and more of a role player, the 31-year-old Green can excel at defense and three-point shooting, two major weaknesses for the league-worst 17-65 Knicks last season. Green’s future plans may have a lot to do with if the Raptors win the NBA title, but New York does have the advantage of offering better Italian food for him.