For any veteran player, working their way into a new offensive and defensive system is always going to be a challenge. For Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors, it may be the key to his future with the organization that drafted him almost a decade and a half ago.
Things didn't look good for Green last year. Granted, with many of his counterparts out toward the end of the season, he was forced to take on more of a primary offensive role than he was likely comfortable with at this point in his career. But he averaged just 8.4 points on 41.8% shooting from the field across 68 games. He was inefficient, and at times downright harmful, on the offensive end of the court.
The Warriors aren't hoping for him to suddenly become an on-ball threat this season, though. Steve Kerr has worked out a tweaked offensive system for the Warriors, that relies more heavily on five-out looks, perimeter shooting, and a capable, additional off-ball hub in Green to help make the whole thing work.
Green is entering this season on an expiring, $27.7 million deal, making him tradeable if the Warriors feel like that's their best option by the time we reach the deadline.
Green, then, needs to prove he still has a path to being a highly successful player for this team even as he enters his 15th NBA season. On Tuesday night against the Los Angeles Lakers, we got a real glimpse at what that can look like.
Draymond Green is still a key piece for this Warriors team—if he can fill his new role consistently
Green is still one of the smartest defenders in the NBA. But as he ages and loses more of his athletic ability, accomodations will need to be made on that end of the court. Frank Vogel—who was brought in as Kerr's lead assistant this offseason to overhaul Golden State's defense—typically focuses on aggressive perimeter defense while having a roaming rim protector to anchor things in the middle.
Green is no longer capable of playing that role full-time at this point in his career, although the Warriors may be forced to turn to him there with Kristaps Porzingis's status for the start of the season still under serious question.
But the real storyline for Green this season will be on the offensive end of the court. With Yaxel Lendeborg representing an additional floor-spacing option and potent offensive presence, can Green simply take a step back and help keep the offense flowing around him—making the right passes and hitting his open perimeter shots when they come his way?
Both of those things happned against Los Angeles. Green finished the game with just three points and one field goal attempt (a perimeter shot he sank early in the first quarter). But he posted eight assists to just two turnovers in under 15 minutes on the court, flashing a level of court vision and playmaking aptitude we haven't seen from him in a long time.
It's almost as if Green was playing simply to prove he's capable of performing the role Golden State needs him to this season.
There's still a number of questions that need to be answered here—not the least of which involves Green's shooting consistency and willingness to take a step back over the course of a whole season. But at the very least, his outing against the Lakers was a positive sign for how this new-look Warriors roster is unfolding.
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