One day after losing to the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference semifinals, Golden State Warriors forward/center Draymond Green had a response to those saying the team’s dynasty has ended.
Golden State won its fourth NBA title since 2015 last season, its first since 2018, over the Boston Celtics.
But LeBron James and the Lakers took care of business in Game 6 Friday night to knock the reigning champions out of the playoffs.
With the loss, some experts and fans believe the Warriors’ dynasty has come to an end, but Green laughed at that notion.
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“A lot of people saying the Warriors’ dynasty [is] over, which are the same people that said it was over in 2019 when KD [Kevin Durant] left. Four years later, they’re still saying it’s over,” he said on his “The Draymond Green Show.”
“Great, they’re always wrong.”
The Warriors lost to the Toronto Raptors in the 2019 Finals, Durant left for the Brooklyn Nets in free agency, and observers were declaring an end to the Warriors’ dynasty.
While they didn’t win a championship again until 2022, the Warriors were still a tough team to face in the regular season and playoffs.
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“It’s not,” Green said about the dynasty being over. “Those same people are the same folks that said I’d never make it in the NBA. Those people are the same folks that said, ‘They’re a jump shooting team, and they won’t win.’ It’s those people.
“But also know and pay attention to who the people that are saying the dynasty’s over. It’s always [those who] never have been a part of a dynasty. You never really see Shaquille O’Neal, the great Shaq, my favorite player as a kid growing up, say, ‘Oh man, it’s over.’
“You know why? Because that man understands what it’s like. He gets it. But there’s always people that run and say, ‘Oh man, it’s over.’ You don’t even know how it feels to start it.
“Kudos. Congratulations. Just this year.”
The Warriors’ offseason has begun, and Green’s contract is a hot topic of late. He has a player option for the 2023-24 season that would pay him roughly $27.6 million. He said he wants to take some time to talk with his agent, Rich Paul, about what to do next. The deadline to exercise the player option is June 29.
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Golden State recognizes the importance Green plays on the team, and The Athletic reported the Warriors “intend to discuss a new multiyear contract” with him soon. It would either be adding time to his deal if he opts into his final year or a new deal when he opts out.
Green has been synonymous with the Warriors in recent years. The four-time All-Star has four rings and played a major role in each of them since 2015. The Michigan State product, a second-round pick by the Warriors in 2012, has been a polarizing figure but provides grit for a Warriors team stacked with scorers like Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Andrew Wiggins.
Might Green want to move on to, say, the Lakers, who just beat him?
Green has a great relationship with James, who also happens to have Paul as his agent. The rumors have already begun swirling about Green going to the Lakers if he opts out because of his connections to Los Angeles.
If nothing else, Warriors fans may feel a bit better after hearing his comments about the team in his podcast.
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