After missing the NBA playoffs last season, many critics suggest the Golden State Warriors‘ glory days are behind them. However, Draymond Green is determined to prove the doubters wrong and he directly addressed his teammates, especially Stephen Curry, with a renewed sense of urgency.
In an interview with The Athletic, Green was confident of their chances this season and declared: “I know I ain’t done. I know he ain’t done,” and added: “So it ain’t like, ’All right, I feel like I’m at the end. I’m cashing it in.’ Nah. We can do that (expletive) again. I know we can do it again. I’m not a part of the consortium that don’t think we can get it done”.
Nevertheless, the power forward acknowledged the passage of time and it’s impact on the team. “In doing it again, you’ve got to acknowledge that it’s not going to look like it did before,” he admitted. And then he explained: “I’d struggle if we were just cashing it in. That ain’t for me. But I don’t feel like anyone around here is doing that. We’re actively trying to put the pieces together to build.”
Draymond Green (34) and Stephen Curry (36) are the main stars remaining from the four-time NBA champion team in 2015, 2017, 2018 and 2022. Despite no longer having stars like Kevin Durant or Klay Thompson at their disposal, Green is confident the pair can still guide Golden State to another championship.
The Warriors need to improve on last season’s performance
For Green’s vision to become a reality, the Golden State Warriors must significantly improve upon last season’s struggles. They finished 10th in the Western Conference and were swept by the Sacramento Kings in the play-in tournament, far below their lofty standards.
What’s next for Curry and Green?
The Warriors’ journey to redemption begins with preseason matchups, starting on Saturday, October 5, against the Los Angeles Clippers. They will then face the Sacramento Kings, Detroit Pistons, and Los Angeles Lakers before opening the 2024-25 NBA regular season against the Portland Trail Blazers at the Moda Center on Wednesday, October 23.