Gerald Green's dog may or may not be Air Bud

DJ Dunson

For some inexplicable reason, Gerald Green keeps finding himself unwanted by NBA teams until some general manager comes calling around midseason and he reminds us all that he’s one of the league’s most underrated microwave scorers.

Unemployment can be difficult, but Green, now a Houston Rocket, has found ways to keep himself preoccupied and motivated. A profile for Bleacher Report detailed how Green kept himself in shape after getting waved by the Milwaukee Bucks before the season.

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Houston Rockets guard Gerald Green runs up court during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Detroit Pistons, Saturday, Jan. 6, 2018, in Detroit. (AP)
Houston Rockets guard Gerald Green runs up court during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Detroit Pistons, Saturday, Jan. 6, 2018, in Detroit. (AP)

While most players would have bonded with their trainer or an old friend, Green found kinship with his dog while going through workouts on his own.

He didn’t even have a human being with him as he put up shots this fall. “I just played one-on-one outside in my driveway with my Rottweiler,” Green said during an idle moment before a recent Rockets practice in Chicago.

“Yeah, I had my Rottweiler. What’s wrong with that?” Green asked. “Dogs don’t get tired.”

….

“My Rottweiler really don’t talk much. He just bites,” Green said with a hint of a smile.

Green’s admission inspires a few questions. For one, what type of defense does a canine play? Secondly, after veganism runs its course, will training with pups be the NBA’s next great workout craze?

Green’s dog may be one of a kind as the Air Bud of NBA workout partners. Either way, Green’s dog pushing him obviously did wonders for Green, who is averaging 16 points a game and shooting 49 percent both from the field and behind the three-point arc.

Houston general manager Daryl Morey is always on the vanguard of basketball innovation. Don’t put it past him to mine Green and his trusty best friend for their training secrets. If Green can keep this up into June, the Rottweiler may secure a book and movie deal out of their dog and his best friend story.

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DJ Dunson is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at dunsnchecksin@yahoo.com or find him on Twitter or Facebook.