The Golden State Warriors have seen a lot of success in the past eight seasons. They have been to the NBA Finals six times, and the only two times they failed to reach the finals were due to the fact the team wasn’t completely healthy.
What’s even more impressive is the fact that the Dubs have managed to win four NBA Championships in their six NBA Finals trips. The credit for the success of the team goes to several key figures.
But the biggest role has been played by the original superstar trio of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green. While the three players have played so many seasons together, it seems like their run together might soon come to an end.
It is due to the fact that Green has reportedly demanded a max contract extension from the Warriors. During his prime, the Warriors might have handed him a max contract, but Green is no longer that player.
Although he is still the glue that holds the team together, his contribution on the court has been diminishing with each passing season. NBA analyst Dan Patrick recently talked about if Green is worth a max contract on his podcast. He easily concluded that Draymond doesn’t deserve a max contract for various reasons.
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“If you’re Draymond Green, what are you taking to the negotiating table?” Patrick said. “‘He, I shot under 30% from three-point range and I disappeared on multiple occasions in this year’s playoffs. Any questions?’ Now, he can say, ‘We won.’ Could they have won without Draymond Green? I’m gonna say yes. I think they could have.
He’s 32 coming off a string of poor playoff performances, and I can’t imagine handing him a max deal. I think he’s probably more interested in what’s going on with his broadcasting career, post-basketball career. I just think there are times when he’s not very good when he’s on the floor.”
He continued, “I think Draymond’s just a good player in a great place, capitalized on it and he’s going to win. You know he’s the reason why Kevin Durant left. He cost him a NBA Finals. So, as good as he’s been, you know, I can look back, and it’s not exactly a consistent career.”
Patrick didn’t hold back one bit while utterly berating Green. Usually, if a player is putting up the numbers that Green has in the last few seasons, he wouldn’t get a max contract.
However, Green’s case is unique as he is one of the core players of the original trio that the Warriors drafted and groomed into great players. The rumors also suggest if Green doesn’t get a max contract from the Dubs, he is willing to explore other options. Does this mean the end of the Warriors dynasty?
