You can say whatever you want to about Draymond Green, but there is one thing about the future Hall of Famer that is undeniable. There’s nothing about his actions or his words that are unintentional or without purpose.
More often than not, he says or does things to evoke, provoke, or galvanize. Be it right or wrong, this is all part of the experience with the five-time first-team All-Defense forward. It is what it is and what it always will be as long as he is in a Golden State Warriors uniform.
So when Green talked about the personal agendas of the team in the aftermath of Golden State’s 24-point loss against the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday night, it was a teamwide call to action. A plea to reestablish and solidify commitment that was as subtle as a Stone Cold Stunner or a chairshot to the head.
By bringing what should have been an in-house conversation out on the ‘ Association’s front street, it leaves Green, his intentions, and the dynamics of the team exposed to speculation, interpretation, and scrutiny. ‘Who is he talking to?’ ‘What is he talking about?’
Since Green opened the door, I’ll just walk through it like everyone else did. He’s not wrong. There are agendas, and everyone in the NBA has them. They are not inherently bad until they begin to impede the collective goals of the team. This is what I believe Green was trying to say in those comments. With that being said, let’s look at these “agendas” perceived or otherwise.
The Core
For the Warriors’ nucleus of Stephen Curry, Green, Jimmy Butler, head coach Steve Kerr, and to an extent, newcomer Al Horford, their “agenda” is obvious. It’s the gold of the Larry O’Brien Trophy. The OG’s want their fifth title, Horford wants his second, and Butler wants his first. This “agenda” should be the only one that matters. In the Warriors’ 125-120 win over San Antonio on Wednesday night, the trio of Curry, Green, and Butler proved that they can still lead and carry the team. They are more than capable of competing and contending in the postseason, regardless of their seeding.
However, given their ages, the effort they displayed against the Spurs, Lakers and Nuggets to start the season is not sustainable night after night. At times, they will need the youngsters, the Jonathan Kumingas, Brandon Podziemskis, etc, of the roster for consistent help, and more of an effort to complement. To the youth’s credit, strides have been made, but they still have more growing to do.
The Youth
This group is no different than many younger players in the league, full of ambition, potential, the skills that got them drafted, and not much else. They want it all — the money, a bigger role, accolades, and adoration. There is nothing inherently wrong with those desires until they start to get in the way of the team’s agenda (success) and their own progression. Kuminga’s battle for more of a role and his negotiations have been well documented. To his credit, the fifth-year G-League Ignite product has been trying to complement the core and adapt to the system. His wants are still there, but he is making an effort to channel them to contribute.
Podziemski loves to talk heavy. Even Green said that some things should be kept to oneself. To his credit, Podz hustles, he has effort, and he cares.. However, his game isn’t indicative of “Curry’s heir” or better. The more Podz talks, the more pressure he puts on himself and the more scrutiny he is exposed to. Kerr and the core don’t need him to be the “White Shohei Ohtani” or anyone else Podz has name-dropped since he’s been in the league. They want the Santa Clara product to be the hustling, scrappy guy that the Warriors drafted three years ago.
It’s one thing to have these aspirations. It’s another to actually do it.
Green was a second-rounder who worked and soaked up all the nuances of the game before he succeeded David Lee. It’s earned through the work, not through click-inducing quotes. Green accepted his role, learned his role, honed his role until he could redefine it. It’s a pretty solid blueprint and it’s one that can keep you on a roster like the Warriors, get you paid, and keep you in the league for a long time.
Green knew what he was doing in Tuesday night’s postgame. He knew that the team needed to be checked. He also knew that the comments had the vibe of a players-only meeting, and talking through the media might have been apropos due to their substandard effort against OKC. The consequence of this choice didn’t matter more than its impact. The potential of the comment being an ongoing theme is a possibility. But if that means that the Warriors will lock in and be the team that they believe that they are, the speculations and the outside noise will be worth it in June.