Draymond Green has candidly acknowledged that the Golden State Warriors are no longer the powerhouse they once were.
Speaking on his podcast, the seasoned Warriors veteran discussed the difficulties of adjusting to an aging dynasty. In a conversation with Danny Green, Draymond shared his thoughts on adapting to the team’s current state of decline.
“It’s going to be very important to define who is it we are going to be. We [are] getting older,” Draymond Green remarked. “[The Warriors] are not the same basketball team that we were in 2019, or even 2022 for that matter. It changes.
I think Steve [Kerr] is doing an incredible job of where he’s becoming more open to like Jonathan Kuminga having the ball more, Kuminga being in the pick and roll, and running some isos for Kuminga. Whereas, it takes some time to adjust to that when you’ve had the level of success that we’ve had.”
As a four-time NBA champion, Green is no stranger to the dominance and success that defined the Warriors for years. Alongside Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, he helped establish a dynasty in the Western Conference, securing his legacy as one of the greatest defenders in NBA history. However, since their championship run in 2022, the landscape for the Warriors has shifted dramatically.
Key players like Jordan Poole, who played a vital role in their last title win, have moved on, and the team has also seen the departure of veterans like Andre Iguodala. Compounding the issue are the significant injuries to Klay Thompson, a five-time All-Star who has faced a torn Achilles and ACL in consecutive offseasons.
The advanced age of the Warriors’ core stars is perhaps the most apparent factor in their decline. Stephen Curry is now 36, Klay Thompson is 34, and Draymond Green will turn 35 next March. Despite their illustrious careers and achievements, it is understandable that these players might not perform at the same level given their age, experience, and the physical toll their bodies have endured.
The Warriors’ recent struggles were evident last season when they finished 10th in the Western Conference and failed to advance past the play-in game. In a conference known for its depth and competitiveness, the Warriors face a slim margin for error and will need to improve across all positions to remain contenders.