As we round into the second half of the Golden State Warriors' preseason slate, the major concern for this team is obviously still the absence of Kristaps Porzingis.
We knew Porzingis was going to almost certainly need to miss time this season. But he hasn't yet reported to the team for the start of the new campaign, and as of now, there's been no concrete indication as to when he'll be ready—or even what the issue he's facing is. For a team that was going to depend heavily on Porzingis' skill set on both ends of the court, that's obviously a concerning development.
On the offensive end of the court, things will likely work themselves out in his absence. Golden State clearly has an immediately viable contributor in Yaxel Lendeborg, and their five out-oriented offensive approach should allow them to stay afloat early in the season.
But as Draymond Green's abilities on both ends of the court continue to wane, is he capable of taking on the rim protection duties that a big man role in Frank Vogel's scheme requires? The Warriors seem to feel comfortable leaving him in that role to start the season, as they've gone with a small-ball approach in each of their preseason games.
But this, no matter how they want to approach it, is going to be a test of Green's continued defensive viability as he enters his 15th NBA season.
Draymond Green is still one of the league's smartest defensive players, but can he anchor the Warriors on that end of the court?
This was already going to be a pressure-filled season for Green. Although the Warriors brought him back this offseason at the full value of his $27.6 million deal after he declined his player option this offseason, his contract may very well function as a trade chip by the end of the campaign.
His offensive production also dropped precipitously last season—Green averaged just 8.4 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 5.5 assists while shooting 32.6% from beyond the arc and 41.8% from the field across 68 games in 2025-26.
The Warriors, at the very least, have a plan to maximize his efficiency on that end of the court. They want him to play more of a playmaking role, moving the ball consistently and simply taking his open perimeter attempts when they come to him. That should lessen his on-ball burden and, theoretically, make his job easier in the flow of the offense.
But Green's defensive numbers weren't all that inspiring last season, either. He posted just a 0.8 estimated defensive plus-minus over the course of the campaign, according to Dunks & Threes' model. He's still one of the smartest players in the league on that end of the court, but as his athleticism continues to wane, he's been unable to overcome some of the deficits he's always possessed against larger players on the interior.
Vogel's defensive scheme, at its best, depends on constant perimeter pressure complemented by an anchoring rim protector in the middle of the court. Porzingis can represent that when he's at full strength. Leaving Green as a small-ball center in this sort of scheme, at the very least, ramps up the pressure that's upon him defensively.
Perhaps Golden State can account for this by saddling Lendeborg with some of those responsibilities in the early portions of the season, or by finiding a way to work Al Horford consistently in those rotations. But Green's ideal defensive role, at this point in his career, is no longer at center.
As long as Porzingis remains out, it means the pressure will be upon Green to find some of his prior form in that role.
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