Miami Heat legend Udonis Haslem is respected around the NBA as one of the best mentors and veterans the league has seen. Haslem wants to see Draymond Green be a mentor to young players, commenting on his spat with Jordan Poole by saying he would not be able to forgive himself if he punched Tyler Herro like Green punched Jordan Poole.
“Jordan Poole. At the end of the day, we’re here to guide these young fellas in the right direction. Can you imagine me swinging on Herro? I’d take a long walk on the short pier, I’d never forgive myself.”
Udonis Haslem says Draymond Green is supposed to be guiding young players into the right direction
“Can you imagine me swinging on Herro?”
(🎥 @theOGsShow / https://t.co/THwtYoPIEJ) pic.twitter.com/Va9qOqz2HW
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) December 19, 2023
Haslem did give props to Draymond before talking about his fight with Poole, calling him intelligent and respecting him for picking on players that he knows won’t fight back.
“I got a lot of respect for Draymond. People think he’s crazy, I think he’s smart. because he knows who he f**ing with. He choked out Gobert, punched Nurkic, he f***ing people that won’t do anything back. He’s smart crazy or he’s crazy smart.”
The Heat had a reason to keep him around for 20 years, with every young player coming through Miami saying great things about him. If Green is serious about going through counseling and finding ways to manage his passion, taking advice from Haslem would be a great start.
Warriors Finding Their Groove Without Draymond Green
Over the last few years, much has been made about the Warriors not being as effective on the court with Draymond Green out. It was clear in their 2022 titles win, as the Warriors barely stayed .500 without Green late in the season when he was injured. That same sentiment looks less true as this season progresses.
The team is 6-6 in games he’s missed this season, vaulted by the three-game winning streak the team is on right now. They pulled off an incredible OT win over the league-leading Boston Celtics tonight, proving they can still compete with the best teams in the NBA. Unfortunately, it looks like the Warriors can find a similar level of success with Jonathan Kuminga playing the Draymond role.
Kuminga has averaged 12.3 points and 4.3 rebounds this season in games without Draymond. Green, on the other hand, is averaging 9.7 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 5.8 assists. Green is the better player but any other team in the NBA would’ve started the process of transitioning Kuminga into the starting lineup even when Green is available. If Kuminga gets more opportunities, the Warriors will find themselves in a better place to contend in the future.
If Green can come back without the antics that have made him unbearable to watch this season, the Warriors will do well with him. However, if he continues to be a bother or is struggling on the court, Golden State knows that they have his heir apparent right behind him.
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