Draymond Green might be entering the final stages of his career, but that doesn’t mean he’s not a key component of the Golden State Warriors roster. Green’s best asset has always been his defensive IQ; he can process what’s happening on a basketball court quicker than 99% of players in the league, which gives him a unique ability to quarterback a defense on the fly.
That’s why Green, 36, has landed inside The Ringer’s top-100 player rankings this summer, sitting 97th overall. Because while the veteran forward isn’t likely to light you up from the field, he’s going to play a huge role in shutting your team down and elevating the guys around him.
“Green is a Hall of Famer who changed the way we think about defense, but for the first time in his career as a starter, Golden State was better with Green off the floor than on last season,” The Ringer’s Kirk Goldsberry wrote. “And the Warriors still missed the playoffs. The defining small ball defender of his generation is now a graying star who is still capable of defensive brilliance (and haranguing officials), but less capable of anchoring one of the NBA’s best units on a nightly basis. There was a time when Green was the most impactful defender in the Western Conference, but in the era of Wembanyama, those days are done. Meanwhile, positional size is making a comeback.”
It’s inevitable that Green will continue to slow down with time. However, his greatest asset doesn’t rely on athleticism or physicality. For that reason, he should remain capable of impacting a game on both sides of the floor. Of course, Warriors fans will be hoping that Green’s basketball IQ can help the team return to the NBA Finals in the next few seasons; after all, his skill set shines in the postseason.
Despite all the criticism that often comes Green’s way during the season, ranking toward the bottom end of the top 100 is fair. His ability to read the game is unique, and that alone remains a focal point of how the Warriors operate, and likely will be until he calls time on his career.
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This article originally appeared on Warriors Wire: Warriors’ Draymond Green lands in latest top-100 nba player rankings
Reporting by Adam Taylor, Warriors Wire / Warriors Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Adam Taylor, Warriors Wire | USA TODAY Network
