After a disappointing end to the 2023-24 NBA season, Draymond Green believes the Warriors need to find a new identity to get back to being a contender again.
Speaking to NBA veteran wing Danny Green on “The Draymond Green Show,” Draymond was asked what changes the team will have to make to return to its winning ways.
“I think for us, it’s going to be very important for us to define who it is that we’re going to be,” Draymond explained. “Like, we’re changing, like you said we’re getting older. We are not the same basketball team that we were in 2019, or even in 2022 for that matter.
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“It changes, and we’re adjusting to that change which is great. I think Steve [Kerr] is doing an incredible job where he’s becoming more open to Jonathan Kuminga having the ball more or Kuminga being in the pick and roll, running some iso’s for Kuminga. It takes some time to adjust to that when you’ve had the level of success that we’ve had doing what we’ve done.”
Golden State struggled with inconsistent play during the 2023-2024 NBA season, with Draymond’s suspension along with injuries playing a big role in the Warriors failing to make the playoffs. With Golden State's core of Draymond, Steph Curry and Klay Thompson all approaching the end of their NBA careers, figuring out how to incorporate the likes of Kuminga and other young players will be critical for the franchise to return to relevancy.
There still is some uncertainty regarding Thompson staying with the Warriors, as the two sides are in discussions about a contract extension, though the expectation is that Golden State will try to keep him.
Given the level of depth in the Western Conference, Golden State will need its younger players to make significant jumps this offseason. Gone are the days when the Warriors could rely solely on the superstar performances of Curry, Thompson and Draymond. Finding a new identity this offseason will be key to the Warriors returning to relevance.
