After all these years, Draymond Green is still Draymond Green. While the 35 year-old forward and one-time Defensive Player of the Year may have lost a step athletically, he certainly has not lost a step mentally. His defensive genius is still on display nightly for the Warriors and should quell any fears of a decline in 2025-26, even if his scoring has dipped to a new low.
Right now, Green is No. 2 in Defensive EPM according to Dunks & Threes, behind just Alex Caruso and ahead of Victor Wembanyama and Rudy Gobert, two of Green's best friends. There are numerous incredible young defenders in the NBA, and Draymond still ranking alongside (or ahead of) them is astounding.
Year after year, Draymond is near the top of all defensive metrics, in large part because of his unparalleled anticipation and feel for the game on that end. It's heartening for Warriors fans to watch Green still be such a productive disruptor — and not just for old time's sake, either, but because the Warriors actually need it.
Draymond Green remains a vital player to the Warriors' success
Green has always been substantially more important than a role player. To start 2025-26, he's actually more impactful than he's ever been. Right now, he has an on/off of 17.4 points per 100 possessions, which is a massive number.
With all this being said... Green's offensive game could use some improvement because right now, his offensive grades are almost as dreadful as his defensive grades are impressive. Green currently has a true shooting percentage of 48.9%, which, if you're not into advanced stats, is bad. When your teammate is Steph Curry, as Draymond's is, you don't have to be great at scoring the ball. Heck, you don't even have to be good at it. Dray, as we know, makes Steph (and all other Warriors) better with his playmaking, though, so it's always going to be hard to really fault him for some ugly shooting nights. Even if there have been a few already.
That playmaking is still top-tier, of course, and Green's passing — much like his defensive presence — will never be a casualty of declining athleticism. That's the most important storyline here; if the Warriors get this version of Draymond Green for a few more years, into his late-30s, that's a huge win.
Draymond Green might no longer be in his athletic prime, but I think his competitive prime will last for his entire life. That spark is still enough to keep him on the floor... And the all-time defensive instincts don't hurt, either.