Draymond Green’s numbers are down but his impact is up

Draymond Green’s numbers have been far from what fans have grown to expect, but his impact is still there for the playoff-hopeful Warriors.

The Golden State Warriors’ three-time All-Star Draymond Green was out the team’s first two games of the season. In those games, the Warriors lost by over 20 points against two of the Eastern Conference’s best teams.

Since Green’s return, the Warriors have gone 8-6. While that can’t all be put on him as Stephen Curry did erupt for 62 points and he’s been the catalyst for this team, Green’s presence has sped up the offensive in a big way.

Green’s numbers, though, just aren’t there. He’s averaging 4.6 points per game, almost half of what he was at a season ago. While some were hopeful his three-point shooting may even come back, that seems bleak.

Green’s making just .5 threes per game and is shooting under 24 percent from deep. Even his efficiency from the field is among the worst of his career as he’s at just 33.3 percent, his lowest since being a rookie in 2012.

The one bright spot in Green’s play has been his ability to set his teammates up.

While that’s always been his strength, he’s been as good as in past years in the assist category, something many of his other numbers can’t relate to. He’s averaging 6.8 assists per game, up .6 from a season ago and down .1 from two seasons ago.

Now, while we tear Green’s numbers apart, it’s crucial to understand that he’s still among the league’s most impactful players.

One such part of Green’s game that many don’t take into consideration when looking at his impact is how great of a leader he’s become. Green’s leadership with James Wiseman should be noted and may aid his development.

That’s just one example though.

Along with that is the fact that the Golden State Warriors two best five-man lineups per net rating (only considering lineups with over 20 minutes of game time) have Draymond Green as one of the five.

The Warriors’ most-used lineup also have Green, and it’s at a -20.3 net rating which is brutal. Some switches do need to be made in the starting lineup to optimize how Curry can play on both ends of the court.

Draymond Green is on a max-value contract, and while many may wish they’d trade him with picks for a player like Bradley Beal, management knows his value. And, while it doesn’t always show up in the box score, it does oftentimes help lead his team to victory.