Warriors: Draymond Green’s jumper will define second half of career

The second half of Draymond Green’s career will rely heavily on if he is able to become a consistent 3-point shooter for the Golden State Warriors.

Draymond Green was the driving force behind the Golden State Warriors breakout success. Yes, Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson were on pace to become all-time great shooters regardless, but Green’s insertion into the starting lineup took this squad to heights they would have otherwise never reached.

Green did it all with his ability to, well, do it all. The Warriors could trust Green to rebound, defend, create plays and most importantly, spread the floor at a consistent rate. In the 2015-16 NBA season, Green connected on a career-high 38.8 percent of his 3-point attempts.

In the next season, his regular-season percentage dipped to 30.8 percent but his playoff numbers spiked to above 40 percent. To no surprise, the Warriors swept their way to the finals and nearly went undefeated to the title.

Green is perhaps the most versatile defender in league history but he takes the Dubs to another level when he is able to hit from deep. We can expect his athleticism and effectiveness on defense to deteriorate as he enters his 30s. But, will his jump shot ever return?

Since 2017, Green has shot a rough 29.1 percent from the 3-point line. Of 203 players to attempt at least 125 3-pointers this season, Green ranked as the fifth-worst shooter. It seems his ability to connect from deep has disappeared.

Even in the playoffs, Green has been unable to flip the switch on his jumper. He shot an absurdly low 22.8 percent in the 2018 NBA Playoffs. This led to opposing teams shrinking the floor and oftentimes leaving Green completely wide open in order to overload Curry/Thompson.

With Kevin Durant gone, the Warriors need Green’s shooting even more. Having him as a release valve is pivotal to their chances of winning a title. Without him acting as an additional threat to shoot after setting screens, Curry and Thompson will have to work twice as hard to get open.

His past success as a stretch big gives us hope that Green will find his stroke again in the future. At the least, it has to be an emphasis in his training moving forward. His athleticism will abandon him one day, but his ability to shoot can keep him productive.