The Golden State Warriors are not a serious title contender, and Draymond Green appears to have taken a step backward. His rebounding and assists numbers have dropped to their lowest marks since before the dynasty began, and his 3-point attempts are way up. Something appears to be off, and it's reflected in the advanced metrics. The Warriors have been better without him, which can’t last if they want to make a postseason run.
He is averaging 8.5 points, 5.9 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 0.9 steals, and 0.8 blocks in 27.2 minutes per game this season. 58.5 percent of Green’s field goal attempts have been 3-pointers, and he’s shooting just 33.3 percent from long range. He has never been known for his scoring, but even the defense has slipped in his 14th NBA season.
Green has produced a 0.1 value over replacement player and 0.032 win shares per 48 minutes. Those are his worst marks since his rookie season. The Warriors keep losing his minutes, and fans know there is always controversy. Maybe the Dubs are just better without Draymond at this stage.
The Draymond Green situation is a problem for the Warriors
Golden State has lost his playing time in eight of his last nine games, and they are minus-68 in those 210 minutes. It was eight consecutive games before the win in Brooklyn on Monday night against the rebuilding Nets. It took a fourth-quarter surge with Green on the floor for the Warriors to win his minutes by three points.
Most concerning of all, the Warriors have a 113.1 defensive rating with Draymond on the floor and 112.5 when he heads to the bench this season. Even 113.1 would rank in the top ten for the entire season, but Green is an all-time great defender. He has made nine All-Defensive teams and won Defensive Player of the Year in 2017. The Warriors shouldn't be worse with him on the floor.
Green is 35 years old and may have lost a step. Fans have seen him lock in and display his greatness, but those moments are few and far between. There has been drama all season, from the Jonathan Kuminga situation to head coach Steve Kerr getting into it with Green. They are 17-16 and currently eighth in the Western Conference. Maybe the Dubs just need a spark to unlock Green and get into serious title contention.
Warriors fans have seen Green have ups and downs throughout his 14-year NBA career. At 35 years old, it is fair to question what this is. Green may be just going through a funk where he struggles, or this could be the new normal as he declines. There have been plenty of concerning signs, and Warriors fans are left questioning what is next.
There has been frustration about playing the five, which is his best position at this stage of his career. It will be interesting to see how that evolves down the stretch and into the postseason. Using him more against centers could help Golden State, but it is a massive ask on Draymond.
The Golden State Warriors need Draymond Green to play elite defense and unlock their small-ball lineups. Fans know he can still be a difference-maker, but it hasn’t happened much lately. Hopefully, this is just a rough stretch, but it could be much worse. This developing story is worth monitoring. Without improvement from Draymond, the Warriors are sadly finished as a title threat.