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Draymond Cracks Sarcastic Joke About Warriors' Center Situation
Draymond cracks sarcastic joke about Warriors' center situation originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Draymond Green had a hilarious take on the future of his role as center for the Warriors.
Green, who could see time at the center position again next season depending on the rest of the lineup configuration, was asked what he thought about continuing to play that role for Golden State.
“I am the center of the future,” Green told reporters with a laugh on Thursday. “Honestly, [Kevon Looney] has been here for 10 years. And he has been incredible. He was a key cog in us winning a championship in 2022.
“Trayce [Jackson-Davis] has grown a lot over the past few years from being the No. 52 pick [in the 2023 NBA Draft] or something like that. The strides he has made have been incredible. What we do at the position, I’m not sure. That’s not really my role, but what I will say is I think you always have to be looking to get better.”
The Warriors are unique among NBA teams in that they don’t typically rely on a big center like other teams do. Instead, Golden State uses quick passes and motion around the 3-point line to get Steph Curry and other shooters into good spots to make shots.
Looney has played his entire 10-year NBA career with Golden State, morphing his game to fit the unique center position.
“I feel like playing center for the Warriors is a unique spot,” Looney told reporters. “We’re not asked to do the same thing that everybody else does throughout the league. Playing with Steph is unique and a lot of fun.
“Steve [Kerr] wants to play a certain way, so I feel like we have a good group of guys who give different looks at the center spot. And I think that’s kind of what Steve has always had since I’ve been here. He’s always had three or four guys who did different things … I don’t know what he is going to want for the future, but I thought we did a solid job throughout the year.”
Golden State struggled this year against larger lineups, particularly when getting rebounds and stopping opposing players from attacking the basket. This was on full display during the NBA playoffs this season, as the team struggled with the size of the Houston Rockets and the Minnesota Timberwolves. While the Warriors eventually were able to oust the Rockets in seven games, they ran out of gas against the Timberwolves once Curry went down with a Grade 1 hamstring strain.
Finding a big man who can play around the rim and pass will be a challenge for Golden State this offseason, as the franchise seeks to retool its roster around Curry, Green and Jimmy Butler.
