What has become a tumultuous and seemingly lost season for the Golden State Warriors has exposed a glaring issue the front office and coaching staff can no longer ignore.
After the devastating injury to Jimmy Butler and the flare-up of Stephen Curry’s runner’s knee, many fans accepted that this season likely wouldn’t meet expectations. With the bottom of the Western Conference tanking and Golden State stuck in the middle, another play-in appearance feels inevitable.
Not everything is bleak. The development of Gui Santos, Moses Moody, and a healthy De’Anthony Melton finding rhythm again offers some optimism. But one uncomfortable truth has surfaced: 36-year-old Draymond Green has been a net negative for this group over the past month — and at times, part of the reason the product has looked so uninspiring.
Warriors can no longer ignore Draymond Green's struggles
Green has long been the engine and connective tissue of the Warriors dynasty. Even through controversies and declining scoring, he was always worth the trade-offs. The Curry-Green partnership powered championships, and Green’s defensive IQ in high-leverage moments is undeniable. Few defenders of his generation have been more impactful on the biggest stages.
But this season, and especially the last month, tells a different story.
Historically, Green’s struggles have often coincided with Curry’s absence. In years past, if Curry appeared on the injury report, it wasn’t uncommon for Green to soon follow. This year, without that buffer, the decline has been more visible.
February was particularly alarming. With Green on the floor, the Warriors posted a net rating of -20.8. When he sat, that number jumped to +7.5. The offensive rating told an even harsher story: 96.6 with Green on the court, 120.8 without him.
Teams have begun openly ignoring him offensively, and he hasn’t made them pay. Nuggets head coach David Adelman even admitted that when Green was a late scratch, Denver had to scrap its entire defensive game plan because it had been built around leaving him open.
The shooting struggles are one thing. The turnovers and declining ball security are another. A seven-turnover performance against Memphis prompted Steve Kerr to bench him, and the Warriors rallied from a double-digit deficit to win. A similar sequence unfolded in Phoenix: Green to the bench, immediate run, comeback victory.
That pattern is difficult to ignore.
Right now, without Curry and Butler, the numbers suggest Golden State is functioning better without Green on the floor. Add in the visible frustration, the body language, and the shift from emotional spark to visible exasperation, and the concern deepens.
There have still been flashes. His defensive masterclass in back-to-back matchups against Victor Wembanyama proved he can still flip the switch. The instincts haven’t vanished entirely.
But the margin for error in Golden State is thin. If Green is no longer elevating the team defensively and is actively hurting the offense, the Warriors are forced to ask a difficult question: Is the current version of Draymond Green still worth the cost? That’s not a question this franchise has had to confront before. Now, they may not have a choice.