Warriors coach Steve Kerr made headlines in the Bay Area last week with a blunt assessment of Draymond Green's future role with the team, which prompted a response from the Warriors' star forward on the latest episode of the 'Draymond Green Show with Baron Davis'.
While Green is one of the best defenders of his generation, Kerr recognized that he's no longer the player he used to be. Despite coming up short of Defensive Player of the Year this season, Green's age is a major factor.
"I don't want to start next season with Draymond as our starting center," Kerr said. "I think it's doable for the last 30 games like we did this year, but you see the toll it takes on him.”
While Green was quick to point out that he's willing to do whatever his team asks of him to win games, he didn't disagree with Kerr's assessment of his potential role as the team's starting center as he enters the final stretch of his career.
“As far as what Steve said, God bless his heart," Green said. "Playing the five, it’s hard. Like, I’m always down to do it, as you know. Any challenge you throw my way, I’ll take on the challenge. But it's hard battling every night against guys who outweigh me by 60 to 80 pounds. And they’re four inches, or six, seven inches taller than me."
Green is listed at 6-foot-6, and with plenty of seven-footers in today's NBA, asking him to compete against them on a nightly basis will only wear him down even more.
"I'm cut out for whatever our organization needs to go to. I'm right here, let’s do it. I’m never complain about it, but I agree with with Steve. If we can have a different starting center at some point if we need to go to that, cool, but it’s a lot and as I get older and older in this league, it becomes tougher and tougher," Green added.
Whether it's a splash addition via trade or a lower-profile signing in free agency, it's evident the Warriors will look at upgrading that position.
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