As the Golden State Warriors’ dynasty continues to fade, veteran Draymond Green is making sure he’s going down swinging.
Gone are the days of blind confidence in the dynastic yet turbulent Warriors teams.
Growing buzz surrounding the team now points to its impending demise: talk of coach Steve Kerr’s exit, calls for a roster overhaul, and, loudest of all (as expected), Draymond Green’s role on the sinking ship, which has turned into meaty podcast fodder for the outspoken Warriors forward.
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Recently on his pod, Green took aim at Kerr, who coached that dynasty to four NBA championships. Green suggested Kerr didn’t guide his career, but limited it.
“As much as Steve has done for me in basketball, part of me thinks he’s hindered me in my career and what I could have become. When I think of who I was offensively as a player and who I became, I think part of that is due to him. He hasn’t drawn up a play for me since 2017.”
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On the outside, former NBA lottery pick Austin Rivers wasn’t buying it, and a fiery back-and-forth was born.
Appearing on The Dan Patrick Show, Rivers flipped the argument, framing Green not as a victim of the system but its biggest beneficiary.
“You were the luckiest basketball player I think I’ve ever seen. You were drafted to a franchise with a Hall of Fame front office, Hall of Fame coach, the greatest shooter of all time and perhaps a top five player of all time. Not to mention one of the most lethal scorers of all time and arguably a top 10 player of all time, Kevin Durant, the same guy you chased off because you talk too much. Steve Kerr made your career. How dare you?”
Draymond fired back by shifting away from basketball and into personal territory.
Green mocked the contract Rivers signed with the Clippers in 2016 while his father, Doc Rivers, was running the team, also invoking President Trump’s name in a slight.
“Everything isn’t something you should speak on. Rivers received the biggest bailout in U.S. history prior to President Trump bailing out the airlines. I wish I could give my son $200 million if I was a coach. You were gone from your first team in two years while I’m still here.”
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In response to Green on Tuesday, Rivers did not back down.
He openly called out Green’s volatility, including the 2022 punch of teammate Jordan Poole, and questioned his maturity.
“You don’t have the wherewithal to do your due diligence and actually understand I was being highly complimentary to you. It’s you, and I shouldn’t be surprised.
“You always act irrationally and emotionally immature, and your anger always puts you in hot water, so here I am having to address a video of you belittling my career. Yeah, the NBA doesn’t give coaching jobs to guys who may or may not sucker punch one of the players or staff.”
Amid all the haymakers, both sides took hits, though Green still has the hardware to flex over Rivers. Draymond may have never eclipsed teammates Steph Curry and Klay Thompson, or even Kevin Durant during his stint, when it comes to being the key championship piece, but his role as the roster’s glue is undeniable. Rivers has never played a role as integral as Green’s.
Still, Rivers is pointing to a reality many have argued for years: Kerr did not limit Green.
Now, as Golden State faces an uncertain offseason, Green’s comments raise larger questions.
Are we finally at the end of the Warriors’ run? And how much of it was Draymond’s fault?
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