Steve Kerr is reaching out to Draymond Green for a favor that Green once asked of him: patience.
During their exit meeting after the postseason, Green expressed gratitude to Kerr for his enduring patience, which helped him navigate through ups and downs, confrontations, and suspensions. As Golden State prepares for a transitional season, Kerr is now hoping for that patience in return.
“He’s going to have to adapt a little bit, and it’s probably going to be a little frustrating at times,” Kerr remarked on the “Tom Tolbert Show,” emphasizing the need for Green’s patience as adjustments arise.
These adjustments may require Green to embrace a lesser offensive role, minimize turnovers, and maintain confidence in shooting open three-pointers. A more challenging aspect might involve accepting the team’s growing pains.
With expectations that Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody will miss a significant part of the early season, Kerr mentioned that the Warriors will need to lean on their entire roster, potentially incorporating two-way players. Rookies like Yaxel Lendeborg, Gui Santos, and Brandin Podziemski are anticipated to shoulder more responsibilities until the veterans return.
Kerr highlighted Lendeborg’s maturity, confident that the Warriors’ depth can help maintain stability. However, this strategy is bound to lead to some inconsistent performances, and Green’s history indicates he hasn’t always been the type to quietly accept such challenges.
Green’s fiery past adds weight to Kerr’s request for patience. There was the notorious incident in 2018 when Green berated Kevin Durant during a loss that resulted in a suspension. Durant then left for Brooklyn the next offseason, and both players later criticized the organization’s handling of their fallout.
In another incident four years later, Green punched Jordan Poole during a preseason practice, an event that cast a shadow over Golden State’s lackluster title defense before Poole was traded to Washington the following summer.
While neither departure can be solely blamed on Green, as Durant had his own reasons for leaving and the Warriors had financial and basketball considerations for moving Poole, these episodes highlight the consequences when Green’s competitive nature overshadows the patience needed within a team environment.
The Warriors now look to the 36-year-old to modify his own responsibilities while mentoring teammates who might occasionally struggle with rotations, miss open opportunities, or not match his drive and intensity.
How well Green manages this balancing act could impact more than just the Warriors’ early-season performance.
Warriors insider Marcus Thompson II has suggested that a poor start could lead the franchise to face a previously unthinkable scenario.
“Draymond could be traded at the trade deadline,” Thompson remarked.
With Green in a one-year contract situation and Stephen Curry considered untouchable, the possibility of trading Green might emerge if the dynamic doesn’t work, signaling that Golden State is finally choosing to dismantle the remnants of its dynasty.
Kerr is calling for patience, and by February, the Warriors may find out whether Green possesses enough of it—and whether the franchise has any left for him.
