The Golden State Warriors have to send Draymond Green packing if they want to be serious title contenders in Stephen Curry’s final years. Green played a pivotal role in the four championships, but he is clearly declining. Fans have seen things get even worse without Curry, which only gives the Dubs more reasons to move on.
Draymond has a $27.6 million player option for next season. If he opts in as expected, the Warriors would have no issues trading his expiring contract for an upgrade if they attached draft capital. They clearly need more talent around Curry to be a serious threat. They could get off Green and find it in one move this summer.
Green’s defense is slipping, and it is no longer good enough to make up for his offensive limitations. The Warriors are consistently losing his minutes and can no longer justify making him part of their Big 3.
It is time for the Warriors to move on from Draymond Green
In his last six games, Golden State has lost Green’s 160 minutes by 90 points. They have just one win during that stretch, and it came against the Grizzlies without Ja Morant. Golden State won the two contests Green missed since Jan. 28, including blowing out Memphis.
Fans worry they won’t be able to replace Draymond’s defense, but the Warriors have a 113.4 defensive rating with him on the floor this season. That would rank 13th in the NBA for the full season and is worse than Golden State’s current 112.9 rating.
The biggest loss would be the two-man game between Green and Curry. Without Stephen, the former Defensive Player of the Year has been a nightmare. The Warriors can’t expect Curry to play all 82 next season, which only gives more reason to move on from Draymond. Golden State should be searching for a defensive anchor that doesn’t need Steph to make him productive.
Warriors fans don’t want to see Draymond go, but it is time. They had to endure the painful Klay Thompson exit in 2024. It hurt in the moment, but his play is not making fans wish the Splash Brothers were reunited on the court. Klay’s production has slipped even further and has the Mavericks looking for the exit ramp.
Sadly, Draymond is on the same path. The 36-year-old will not suddenly start consistently nailing 3-pointers. His playmaking has taken a step backward, along with his defensive slippage. Green is a player in decline. It hurts, but that is the sad reality the Warriors must face.
Their only path to contention includes moving on from Draymond. They need him to be an otherworldly defender to justify his offensive shortcomings. The slippage no longer allows that, and the Warriors need someone capable of offering more when Curry has to miss time.
Draymond Green was a centerpiece of the Golden State Warriors dynasty, but it is time to move on. Stephen Curry is still elite, and Jimmy Butler will return next season. The Dubs have the foundation if they can just upgrade over Draymond and put the right pieces around their Big 3. It will be a painful move, but sometimes the toughest decisions are the right ones.