On his self-titled podcast, Warriors veteran Draymond Green discussed what it’s like to be part of an aging dynasty. In a back-and-forth with Danny Green, Draymond was open and honest about attempting to adjust to his team’s downfall.
“Defining who we are going to be will be extremely crucial. “We [are] getting older,” Draymond explained. “The Warriors are not the same basketball team that they were in 2019, or even 2022. It changes. I believe Steve is doing an excellent job of becoming more open to Jonathan Kuminga having more possession, Kuminga being in the pick and roll, and running some isos for Kuminga. It takes some time to acclimate to it when you’ve had as much success as we have.”
Draymond Green, a four-time NBA champion, is accustomed to dominance and success with the Warriors. He established a dynasty in the West with Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, cementing his reputation as one of the best defenders of all time. For years, they had incredible affluence.
However, since 2022, the Warriors have seen significant changes. Jordan Poole, who was critical to the franchise’s past championship, is no longer with the team, as are many of the OGs who previously helped them win, such as Andre Iguodala. There are also injuries to 5-time All-Star Klay Thompson, who had a torn Achilles and ACL in consecutive offseasons.
Perhaps the most obvious cause for the drop is the primary stars’ advanced age. Steph is 36, Klay is 34, and Draymond will be 35 next March. Even after everything they’ve done, it’s understandable that those guys would be different given their age, experience, and thousands of miles on their bodies.
After placing 10th in the West last season and losing the play-in game, the Warriors failed to make a run, and there is real concern about their future ability to compete. In a Western Conference that is so deep and merciless, there is little room for error, and the Warriors will need to improve at every position if they want to keep up.
After years of seeing his team dominate, it will take some time for the 6’6″ Draymond to adjust to this new reality, but he is willing to put more trust in the young players if it means putting the club up for future success.
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