Draymond Green is being asked to change his game, and he’s being blunt about it. After the Warriors’ 104-101 preseason loss to the Clippers, Green talked about his new role, as first reported by ClutchPoints: “I’ve been playing a certain way for so long. It’s a big adjustment. But (I’ll) figure it out. Whether I like it or not, it’s going to happen.” His bottom line: “It is what it is.”
What’s Changing
With Jimmy Butler and Kristaps Porzingis hurt, Steve Kerr needs more scoring. That means Green, now 36, is being asked to shoot more threes and handle less of the playmaking. More of the ball-handling is going to Brandin Podziemski and rookie Yaxel Lendeborg.
That’s a big shift for a player who has run the Warriors’ offense from the forward spot for about a decade. Green’s passing and reads were a big part of Golden State’s title runs. Now he’s being moved off the ball.
The IAHHM Take
You can hear it in the quote. Draymond doesn’t love this, and he’s not pretending he does. “It is what it is” is what vets say when they’re choosing the team over their pride.
It’s also a logical move by Kerr. Golden State needs points, and Green shooting more means defenses can’t sag off him. If he can make enough threes to keep defenses honest, he opens space for everyone else. If he can’t, the Warriors will have to find another answer.
Either way, Draymond’s defense and voice aren’t going anywhere.
Can a 36-year-old Draymond reinvent himself as a shooter, or is Kerr asking too much?
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Source: ClutchPoints
