Hoops Habit
Fansided

Golden State Warriors: 3 goals for Draymond Green next season

By Luke Duffy

WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 03: Draymond Green #23 of the Golden State Warriors reacts in the second half against the Washington Wizards at Capital One Arena on February 03, 2020 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 03: Draymond Green #23 of the Golden State Warriors reacts in the second half against the Washington Wizards at Capital One Arena on February 03, 2020 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 4
Next
Golden State Warriors
Golden State Warriors (Photo by Daniel Shirey/Getty Images) /

Draymond Green’s Goal No. 2: Care during the regular season

This ties into being a leader for the organization from the start of next season, but Green is going to have to be the one who cares the entire time as well. Too often in the past, the Warriors have been able to coast through much of the regular season, only turning it on for big games such as Christmas Day or if LeBron James came to town.

Green couldn’t really be guilty of that as much as the rest of the roster, but caring about wins and road trips and records during the regular season is something he is going to have to take much more of an interest in. What that means is also seeing his personal numbers increase as well.

With Durant and Andre Iguodala no longer around, and we’ve mentioned the injury woes of Curry and Thompson, the production of Green has to increase. Even during those tough November (or whenever the season returns) games away to the Charlotte Hornets when it is the third game in five nights on a road trip and it is hard to get going.

In fact, these are the occasions when the Warriors are going to have to turn to Green the most to set the tempo early. He has somehow only averaged nine points per game throughout his career, although at his peak in 2015-16, that was 14 a night. Getting closer to that high would be a great start.

At a shade under seven rebounds per game, there is little issue there, but the Warriors could be facing a new kind of threat next season as well. They were the architects of “lineups of death” and the small-ball era, but if the time in the bubble taught us anything, particularly in the postseason, it is that the big man is making a return.

It will be on Green to contend with these beasts, or else play so well at the five position that it forces these big guys off the court again. No matter which way this goes, however, the undeniable fact is that the top seed in the West is far from a sure thing, and caring from the get go is the new reality for Green and his teammates.

Home/Golden State Warriors