Not re-signing Draymond Green would be an unmitigated disaster for Golden State Warriors

Draymond Green is still one of the league’s best defenders

He somehow quietly made the All-Defensive 2nd Team this season, largely because the Warriors had the 17th-best defense in the league. Think of the Warriors roster really quickly and answer this: who else on the Warriors is a very good defender? Sure, Andrew Wiggins qualifies, but he only played 37 games in the regular season. Kevon Looney is good on that end of the floor, but very good might be a tad rich. The next best defender after those two is where it’s a clear fall-off. Is it Klay Thompson? Is it Donte DiVincenzo? It’s not too pretty there.

With Green on the floor, the Warriors’ defense was actually elite, allowing only 112.8 points per 100 possessions, which would have ranked 7th this season. With Green on the bench, the defense absolutely fell apart, as their defensive rating plummeted to 117.5, which would have been 26th in the association. The difference is night and day.

With Green back, the Warriors can still remain an elite defense. A healthy Andrew Wiggins is the first step; when the two shared the floor together last year, the Warriors’ defensive rating was a lockdown 111.1. Add Kevon Looney to the mix, and that three-man lineup’s defensive rating increased to only allowing 107.1 points per 100 possessions. Without Green, though, the Wiggins and Looney lineups weren’t quite as amazing, as those had a 112.8 defensive rating.

There’s been all of this writing about Green’s defense and how good it is, but little analysis of how he is so good on that end of the floor. Despite only being 6’6”, Green is an amazing rim protector. He is one of the league’s best weak side help defenders and can also use his 230-pound frame to battle in the post with larger opponents like Anthony Davis. He uses his incredible IQ and quick feet to always rotate to the correct spot and make a play.

He isn’t quite the perimeter defender that he was at the start of the Warriors dynasty, but he is still serviceable in that compartment. All in all, he’s still a top-five defender in the league. Some of the top impact metrics agree.

• D-EPM: +3.0 (T-4th)
• D-DPM: +3.0 (T-1st)
• D-LEBRON: +3.07 (T-5th)
• DRAPTOR: +3.5 (T-6th)
• LA-DRAPM: +1.82 (7th)
• D-DRIP: +1.9 (T-3rd)

Green’s ability to alter shots around the rim is truly wild considering his height. Opponents shot 11.9% worse within six feet with Green as the primary defender, a testament to his amazing ability at the rim. In the playoffs, that number was even more sturdy at 12.6%. His defensive positioning is absolutely spectacular.

With his high IQ and defensive prowess, Green is adept at deflecting the ball, garnering 2.7 deflections per game. This number ranks second among bigs in the league, trailing only Nikola Jokic. This is largely due to his great defensive anticipation, as he is seemingly always one step ahead of the offense.

Enjoy some of these defensive highlights from Green in the Warriors’ final three games of the season:

Look at some of those rotations to help at the rim. Look at how he halts Davis from getting good looks, whether those be on layups or jump-shots. Elite.

Saying Green has been the glue guy for the Warriors, while true, feels disrespectful. It feels like it undersells Green for just how good he’s been in his connecting, defending role. Golden State needs to bring him back and make him a Warrior for life.