Draymond Green’s role in the Warriors’ offense is changing, and the key reason is the same one that keeps showing up in Golden State’s conversations about its attack: trust.
Luca Evans of The San Francisco Chronicle reports that Green is buying into the adjustments Steve Kerr has made around him. Instead of spending as much time trailing the action and organizing teammates from the top of the key, Green will be planted more often on the wings and in the corners.
That shift lines up with a bigger concern for Kerr. Green’s assist-to-turnover ratio dropped to 2.1:1 last season, the lowest it had been since 2013/14, when he was still coming off the bench. Kerr wants the ball security tightened up because the team doesn’t have the same margin for error it once did.
“I think for me, it’s different because - you’ve always been in position to make the play,” Green said. “And now you’re in the position to at times to make the play, or for somebody to make the play for you, or for you to make the cut to allow someone to make the next play. For the most part, I think what it boils down to is, ultimately, trust.”
Kerr said this week that Green has been “all in” on the new job description. He’s been finding cutters with passes from the wing and making the right reads in the short roll.
Green posted 6.3 assists and 1.5 turnovers per game in the preseason, then followed that up with 10 assists in 24 minutes Friday night. Kerr also said he is “very comfortable” starting the season with Green at center, which could matter with Kristaps Porzingis’ health issues and Al Horford’s limited availability at age 40.
Around the Pacific Division, there was interest in Ben Simmons before he signed with the Kings. Marc J. Spears of Andscape reported that the Warriors, Knicks and Timberwolves all had some level of interest, and Spears described Simmons’ move to Sacramento as a “soft landing for a hard relaunch.”
The Clippers, meanwhile, have their starting center set for opening night. Tyronn Lue confirmed that Isaiah Jackson will start Wednesday against Sacramento. Jackson, who was acquired from Indiana in February, came off the bench in all 17 of his appearances with the Clippers.
And in Los Angeles, Ziaire Williams may have played his way into a bigger role with the Lakers. Thuc Nhi Nguyen of The Los Angeles Times reports that Williams was one of the team’s biggest preseason standouts and may have earned a place in the opening-night starting lineup. The Lakers signed him to a veteran’s minimum deal because JJ Redick liked his defense, but Williams also went 5-of-5 from three during the preseason while standing out for his leadership and character.
“Everybody in our building that has been around him for the last, you know, six to eight weeks just recognizes what a special human being he is,” Redick said. “I really believe in him as a player, and I think he’s got a lot of room to grow still, which is exciting for all of us.”
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