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Draymond Green Would Thrive Along a Traditional NBA Center

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Entering the final leg of his prime, it’s time the Warriors pair Draymond Green with a traditional NBA center. Over the years, the four-time champion has juggled various roles under Steve Kerr, making him the ultimate template for a tweener, who switches between a point forward and small ball center.

At age 34, this seems to be working against Green, looking at his last couple of seasons. No doubt, his playmaking and leadership skills continue to be an asset to the Warriors, but it isn’t enough to win them games. Being undersized in his position, the 2016-17 Defensive Player of the Year often ends up brawling with big men.

This isn’t to justify any of his suspensions and immoral conducts on the court. A regular pattern to note here is that most of Green’s ejections and tussles have involved someone playing the five. Be it the stomping episode with Domantas Sabonis, chokehold on Rudy Gobert, or the striking of Jusuf Nurkic.

Draymond Green Would Thrive Along a Traditional NBA Center

Warriors Hunt For a Center as Trade Deadline Nears

Currently with a .500 record on the season, Coach Kerr and his crew have been struggling to say the least. Overdependence on Stephen Curry continues to be a major cause of concern. It’s about time that the Dubs change their ways of playing small ball.

With the Splash Brothers era coming to a end, the roster lacks a quintessential marksmen apart from a 36-year-old Curry. Known as the franchise that changed the dynamics of basketball, the Warriors may need to change their approach before its too late.

As we near the official trade deadline of February 6, the Warriors front office are in a rampant search for a traditional center. Some of the names that make for solid candidates, include Nikola Vucevic and Jonas Valanciunas. As per recent reports, the front office has shifted from pursuing Jimmy Butler.

While these mock trades make for a engaging discussion, it remains to be seen how much Warriors GM Mike Dunleavy manages to offer in exchange. The front office has for the longest time shielded from including Jonathan Kuminga and Andrew Wiggins in these discussions.

Taking the Load Off Green

Green’s contributions on the offensive end have never involved him scoring in bunches. Indeed, the four-time All-Star wasn’t the go to person on offense, but he could jack up the three-ball during important junctures. Recently, he surpassed Jason Richardson for the third-most three-pointers made in Warriors history.

Crossing the 700 threes made mark, Green is only behind the Splash Bros on the Warriors all-time list. The 2016-17 steals leader shot close to 40% from beyond the arc last season. Therefore, onboarding a traditional center would take a considerable load off the 6-foot-6 forward.

Often criticized for his dirty tricks and unnecessary physical plays, an undersized Green need not push his way in the paint with the services of a big man. Instead, the veteran forward could further focus on dishing out alley-oops, running screens, and polishing his long-range shots.

A polarizing figure in the NBA circles, one needs to acknowledge Green’s sacrificing nature. The Michigan native has never shied away from taking responsibility. The veteran forward has tirelessly  endured the pain and aches in the paint, playing a undersized position.

The post Draymond Green Would Thrive Along a Traditional NBA Center appeared first on Last Word On Basketball.