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Is Draymond Green a Top 10 Player?

ByCarlos Murillo|

Draymond Green, the Golden State Warriors’ power forward, is a rising star for the defending champions. One of the more versatile players in the league, just how good is Green in comparison to the rest of the NBA?

Draymond Green is an incredibly unique player and one that is, clearly, very important to the defending champion Golden State Warriors.

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Green’s impact is hard to quantify. No matter how many triple-doubles he earns, there’s always something more to the story with Green. So when NBA legend and Warriors’ executive Jerry West called the Michigan-native the most underrated player in the league, that seemed more than reasonable. It almost felt obvious.

In his interview with KNBR, West also added that Green is a top-10 player in the game right now. Though he tried to qualify his statement, “the Logo” seemed pretty definite in his belief in Green’s elite status. He told the radio station:

"I think honestly we have two of the top 10 players in the league—Draymond Green is the second one. He’s the most underrated player in the NBA, period. There are very few players, I think, anyone in our organization would trade for him. He’s just a remarkable player. Watch him handle the ball, watch him make passes, defensively he’s everywhere. If he’s not a top-10 player in this league, I don’t know who is."

West, who has won seven championships as an executive, is a very good evaluator of talent. As a decision-maker in Los Angeles, he’s responsible for putting together the “Showtime” Lakers that dominated the 1980’s. He also assembled the championship triumvirate of Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal, and Phil Jackson. More recently, he played an important role in building — and more importantly, keeping together–the Warriors’ championship roster. In essence, a West co-sign should not be taken lightly.

West’s statement makes three points about Green: he’s the most underrated, the Warriors would only consider trading him for a very select few, and he’s a top-10 player.

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Concluding whether or not someone is in fact “underrated” might actually be more difficult than figuring out if they’re a top-10 player or not. Memphis Grizzlies’ point guard, Mike Conley, is often referred to as the league’s most underrated. However once the general public is in agreement about that, then the player is no longer the under-the-radar talent they used to be. Because Green’s impact goes beyond the box score and he doesn’t play with a lot of flash, national media and fans have trouble understanding just what the power forward means to his success.

So calling him the league’s most underrated player would be fair based on a lack of exposure and his importance to a historically great team.

Being top-10 can mean many things. For some, it’s a list of the most gifted players. For others, it’s a list of players with a positive impact on both ends of the floor. It can mean a player with the ability to carry an offensive load for a whole game. It could be someone who elevates the play of others. Maybe it’s a player that automatically makes any team a contender. At it’s most basic level, a top-10 player has to be an elite talent that can completely change the game.

Green is no doubt one of the most versatile players in the league. Over the last few seasons, he has proven to be one of the best, if not the best, defenders in the whole league. Finishing as a semi-controversial runner-up for the Defensive Player of the Year award last season, he firmly established himself as an elite defender. Unlike any other top defender–even DPOY Kawhi Leonard–Green can successfully anchor a defense as a center or comfortably switch out onto a guard.

Oct 20, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers forward

Blake Griffin

(32) poses up on Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) during the second quarter at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports

On the other end, Green has improved into an extremely valuable offensive asset. While he’s not the elite scorer that most would expect from a top-10 player, his entire offensive game has improved. He can score from outside while adding to his inside game with various layups and floaters. He’s averaging career-highs across the board, scoring 13.0 points per game on 46 percent shooting from the field and 38 percent from beyond the arc. All respectable numbers for the third-option in a high powered offense.

Where Green truly shines is in every other aspect of offense.

Stephen Curry only needs an inch of space to launch from anywhere on the court so teams (try to) pick him up near half court and crowd him. Green excels at setting screens to free Curry and Klay Thompson both on and off-ball. He understands angles and has developed a good chemistry with his point guard, understanding when to roll and when to fade.

Green’s best offensive asset is his passing ability, which, in terms of forwards, is second-to-none. He is currently eighth in NBA in assists, averaging 7 per contest. He’s actually third overall in total assists, behind only Rajon Rondo and Russell Westbrook. While Curry’s skill set is something never seen before, it’s Green’s passing that keeps the Warriors’ offensive machine going.

Green typically beats a defense in three ways: off pick-and-roll, in the post, and in transition. After Curry gets trapped, the Warriors play 4-on-3 with the ball in Green’s hands. He can then decide whether to kick the ball to the corner for a three or lob it to his big man. In a half court set, he can find himself on either the low or high post, waiting for a shooter or a slasher to get open. In transition, his above-average handles and awareness allow him to push the ball after a rebound and locate his weapons.

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Draymond Green is a triple-double threat on a nightly basis, but his impact is still difficult to quantify. His true value lies in his intangibles–basketball IQ, leadership, chemistry. In just his fourth year, he plays like a seasoned veteran, in-control without letting any moment get too big for him. He’s the clear vocal leader, rallying the troops in the huddle and on the floor during times of trouble, complementing the quiet, more methodical leaders like Curry and Andre Iguodala. He is the heartbeat of the Warriors, the engine that keeps them going.

Green possesses elite qualities and if a player like James Harden can generally be accepted as a top-10 player based on superior scoring ability, why can’t Green also be included as he can control a game on the defensive end just as well? He clearly makes his teammates better. And, as West said, the Warriors wouldn’t trade him for anyone, making him an irreplaceable player.

Green is changing the game right now. He’s a key piece in the NBA’s newest revolution. The Warriors are in the forefront of a major change in the league where spacing and shooting rule. And in the middle of that is a 6’6 baller, a “point-center” who can put the ball on the floor or catch-and-shoot from beyond the arc while bodying up someone six inches taller. Teams are attempting to duplicate what the Warriors have, but without a unique talent like Draymond Green, it’s impossible. As Curry said on teams trying to be like Golden State, “you won’t have the personnel.”

The NBA is full of a lot of great talent and, I believe, that Green has earned top-10 consideration. He’s worked hard to improve every aspect of his game; from backup small forward drafted in the second round to a legitimate star big man. Already a champion, soon he’ll be an All-Star. The beauty of Draymond Green’s ability and passion is that he’ll accept anyone scoffing at the notion of him being a top-10 player.

Then go out and prove them wrong.

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