Golden State Warriors 2018-19 Goals: Draymond Green
By Andrew Ites
The Golden State Warriors’ intensity will depend on Draymond Green’s leadership this year, and he should be focused on becoming the league’s best defender again.
The Golden State Warriors seemed lethargic and worn down during the regular season last year, and that included Draymond Green.
Draymond admitted that he wasn’t playing at the highest level, and we now know that he was dealing with a sore shoulder all year long.
While Green turned it on in the playoffs, the upcoming regular season gives Draymond a chance to establish himself as the league’s best defender yet again.
Back in 2016-17, Green finished second in the league in defensive real plus-minus (5.59) as he took home his first Defensive player of the Year award.
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Draymond’s performance dipped significantly last season as his defensive RPM fell by over two points (good for 14th in the league), he had his lowest blocks plus steals per game since the 2013-14 season, and he finished sixth in the Defensive Player of the Year voting.
This year provides an opportunity to bounce back and add another Defensive Player of the Year award to his trophy case.
Winning the award would not only give him bragging rights and some additional hardware, he also has a financial incentive to earn that recognition.
If Draymond is named the Defensive Player of the Year next season, he would be eligible for the famed “super max” contract worth $226 million over five years. Green could also qualify by being named All-NBA or winning the MVP award, but winning Defensive Player of the Year may be the most realistic opportunity to qualify for that extension.
Next. Best Defensive Players in Golden State History. dark
With all of those reasons for extra motivation this season, I expect Draymond to play at a high level once again. And his goal of winning Defensive Player of the Year would have a positive impact on the performance of the entire team.
Check out the other Warriors’ goals for the 2018-19 season: