Draymond Green has been an integral part of the Golden State Warriors dynasty since getting drafted as the 35th overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft.
Green, 33, is heading toward the twilight years of his career and is no longer the star he once was. But should the Warriors let him go for that reason? NBA analyst JJ Redick is certainly not a fan of that possibility. Redick claimed that the Dubs could not contend for an NBA title without Green on the roster.
“Absolutely not,” Redick said on ESPN’s First Take. “Draymond is so important to everything they do on both sides of the basketball, defensively, specifically. What we saw last year was a non-elite defense from the Golden State Warriors. They get beat at the point of attack too much, they foul too much, they hovered around 15th all season long in defensive rating, and yet, Draymond Green had another elite defensive season.”
Redick added: “He is the anchor of that defense. When the Golden State Warriors have contended, it’s because they had a great defense. You lose him, with really no way to replace him, you’re not winning an NBA championship.”
.@jj_redick says the Warriors CANNOT contend for a title without Draymond Green 👀 pic.twitter.com/N8nShypslb
— First Take (@FirstTake) June 14, 2023
Draymond Green averaged 8.5 PPG, 7.2 RPG, and 6.8 APG during the 2022-23 regular season. Despite having an underwhelming year by his standards, Green still earned the NBA All-Defensive second team honors.
On top of that, the 33-year-old also finished fourth in the Defensive Player of the Year race with 34 points to his name. It’s evident that Green is the anchor of the Warriors’ defense, and without him, they are less than likely to win another title.
Will Draymond Green Be Back On The Warriors For The 2023-24 NBA Season?
Draymond Green has a $27.6 million player option for the 2023-24 NBA season. In May 2023, Green addressed his future with the Warriors.
While the 2016-17 Defensive Player of the Year wants to return to the team, he understands it’s still a business. At the time, Green mentioned that he’s yet to discuss his future with the organization.
Head coach Steve Kerr has made it abundantly clear that the Warriors won’t be a championship-caliber team if Dray leaves the team this summer. So, Green definitely has the backing of his coach.
The only hurdle for the Warriors is figuring out how to rebuild trust between Green and Jordan Poole after their infamous fight last season. Although the Warriors believe they can make it work without having to choose between the two stars, only time will tell how much truth there is to that claim.
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