- Draymond Green could miss up to six weeks with left ankle sprain
- Aging stars has increased injury concern for Golden State
- Draymond looking to redeem himself after a subpar season with Warriors
By trading away Jordan Poole this summer, the Golden State Warriors re-affirmed their commitment to winning with Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green. As accomplished as that core is as 4x NBA champions, the end is in sight for the dynasty. Already, even before the start of this season, the cracks are starting to show.
In the latest news out of San Francisco, longtime veteran Draymond Green is set to miss some time after an injury he suffered during a pickup game at Chase Center. The injury in question has been identified as a left ankle sprain. “Draymond Green has suffered a left ankle sprain, a source confirms to ESPN,” wrote Kendra Andrews. “Green sustained the injury during a pickup game at Chase Chase earlier this week.”
Draymond, 33, has been a fan favorite in Golden State since his arrival in 2012. Now, over 11 years later, Green is as accomplished as they come with 4 All-Star selections, 4 NBA championships, and 8 All-Defensive team selections. Fortunately, the ankle sprain doesn’t appear to be serious and there’s a chance he could be fine by opening night. Of course, if the issues linger, it could impede the Warriors’ quest for another title.
The Window Is Closing For Golden State
By winning their most recent title, the Warriors proved that they still have enough gas in the tank to compete with the best of the best and only a fool would count them out completely going forward. Unfortunately for the Dubs, the odds are stacked against them to re-take their place at the top of the food chain.
With Steph, Klay, and Draymond on the wrong side of 30, it’s only natural that they start to decline and they will need more help from the supporting cast if they want to keep up. It remains to be seen what we can expect from the role-players this season, especially with Jordan Poole gone, but it’s clear that the best days are behind the Warriors now as they close in on the final stage of the dynasty.
Draymond Green On Thin Ice
Draymond had a pretty solid campaign in 2023, putting up 8.5 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 6.8 assists per game on 52% shooting. Sadly, it was overshadowed by his antics that got Jordan Poole run out of town. In a scene that can only be described as unhinged, Green lost complete control and swung at his own teammate during practice. Poole was apparently knocked out from the punch, and Dray is still trying to regain the trust of his teammates. In fact, he recently admitted that he wasn’t sure if he’d be given another chance at all.
“What gave me doubt is that I didn’t know if I would have the opportunity to redeem myself,” Green said Ohm Youngmisuk. “Not [because] that thing necessarily happened. It’s that, do you have an opportunity to make it right, or is that just it? It doesn’t change what happened. It doesn’t change that I was at fault. But I’m a human being, and human beings do wrong.”
So, this season, Draymond cannot afford to become a distraction. With time running out, and the dynasty nearing its end, the only way for the Warriors to end things on their terms will be a total and complete buy-in from everyone involved. Of course, it will also require good health for the duration of the season, and that’s never a guarantee in the NBA.
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