When it comes to winning championships in the NBA, star power grabs the headlines-but it’s the glue guys, the tone-setters, the players who do the dirty work that often make the difference between a playoff team and a dynasty. And few embody that better than Draymond Green. But here’s the thing: is Green just an elite role player, or is he something more?
That’s the debate that sparked recently between Paul Pierce and Danny Green on the No Fouls Given podcast, and it’s one worth diving into-because it says a lot about how we define greatness in today’s NBA.
Let’s start with the surprising part: Paul Pierce, a guy who had his fair share of on-court beef with Draymond (including that infamous trash talk during Pierce’s final season), came out with serious respect for Green’s game. And not just respect-Pierce went as far as to say Draymond isn’t a role player at all.
“[Draymond Green] is not a role player,” Pierce said. “He’s part of the big three. If you say he’s a big three, you’re not a role player.”
That’s a bold claim, but it’s not without merit. In Golden State, Draymond has never been just a background piece.
He’s been right there in the mix with Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, forming one of the most unique and effective trios in modern basketball. His fingerprints are all over the Warriors’ dynasty-whether it’s anchoring the defense, initiating the offense, or setting the emotional tone for the team.
You don’t win four titles by accident, and you definitely don’t do it as a passenger.
Pierce’s point is clear: role players don’t get mentioned in the same breath as franchise cornerstones. Think of the 2024 Celtics.
Derrick White was phenomenal-clutch, reliable, and key to their title run. But no one’s putting him in the same tier as Jayson Tatum or Jaylen Brown.
That’s the difference.
Danny Green, though, had a different take. He sees Draymond’s greatness through a slightly different lens-not as a star, but as the ultimate role player. In his words, “That’s the reason I think he’s the greatest role player of all time because he’s going in the Hall of Fame.”
And that’s where things get interesting. Because if we define a role player not by their lack of impact, but by the way they elevate stars and make systems sing, then Draymond might just be the GOAT in that category.
He’s not a 25-point scorer. He’s not the guy with the ball in crunch time.
But he’s the guy who makes sure the right person has the ball in crunch time. He’s the guy who switches onto five positions, quarterbacks the defense, and brings an edge that few can match.
Both Pierce and Green agree on one thing: Draymond was tailor-made for the Warriors. That system-built around movement, spacing, and high-IQ basketball-was the perfect canvas for his skillset.
Drop him into a different situation, say, the Charlotte Hornets, and maybe we’re not having this conversation. Maybe he never becomes this Draymond Green.
But that’s part of the story, too. Great players maximize their environment, and Draymond did exactly that. He became the heartbeat of a dynasty, a future Hall of Famer, and a player whose impact goes far beyond the box score.
Whether you see him as part of the big three or the best role player the league’s ever seen, one thing’s undeniable: Draymond Green is one of the most unique and influential players of his generation. And no matter how you categorize him, the banners in San Francisco speak for themselves.