Tag: Draymond Green

Draymond Green expects Warriors to do right by Klay Thompson

Draymond Green believes the Golden State Warriors will re-sign Klay Thompson during the off-season.

Klay Thompson had a night to forget against the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday. The veteran sharpshooter went 0-of-10 in a scoreless outing as the Golden State Warriors were eliminated from the play-in tournament.

Now, Thompson heads into free agency with his last outing being among the worst in his career.

Nevertheless, Draymond Green believes the Warriors will do right by their four-time champion. He noted how front office re-signed him to a four-year $100 million deal last summer. He also pointed to Steph Curry’s contract extension. He believes the front office will continue supporting the team’s veteran core.

“Obviously, we want Klay back,” Thompson said. “They’ve shown nothing but respect, loyalty, love and trust for us. So, I’ve got no reason to go into it like, ‘Oh man, they’re not going to do by right by Klay.’ They’ve done right by me. They’ve done right by Steph. They’ve done right by all of us. Klay tore his ACL, they paid him $160 million. I have no reason to think our ownership group aren’t going to take care of us, the way we’ve taken care of this organization. Ultimately, that decision will be Klay’s. … There’s a lot of organizations that will only do what’s best for the organization. This ain’t one of them.”

Thompson will undoubtedly have offers from teams around the NBA. Even after his tough night against the Kings, there’s no denying that he’s among the best shooters in the NBA. His championship experience would also be invaluable to most locker rooms in the league.

Thompson’s future has hung over the Warriors all season. It’s going to be the biggest talking point heading into the summer. For now, though, it would appear everyone within the organization is rooting for him to come back next season.

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Four Michigan State basketball players set to play in NBA playoffs

Four former Michigan State basketball players are set to play in the NBA playoffs

The NBA playoffs are getting ready to begin and Michigan State will once again have some representation in the postseason.

Four Spartans across the league will be gearing up in the playoffs that start on Tuesday with the NBA’s play-in games. Check out who you should be cheering for as the NBA’s playoffs begin:

Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan State news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Cory Linsner on Twitter @Cory_Linsner.

Warriors expected to start Trayce Jackson-Davis vs. Kings

The Golden State Warriors are expected to start Trayce Jackson-Davis against the Sacramento Kings.

Trayce Jackson-Davis has established himself as the starting center for the Golden State Warriors. His front-court partnership with Draymond Green has rapidly become a key aspect of Steve Kerr’s rotation. As such, Jackson-Davis is expected to be Golden State’s starting big man when they face the Sacramento Kings in the play-in tournament on Tuesday (April 16).

According to Draymond Green, who spoke with The Athletic’s Anthony Slater, Davis will be facing a tough task guarding Domantas Sabonis. The veteran big man has revolutionized the Kings offense since being acquired from the Indiana Pacers in 2022.

“Sabonis does all his (scoring) damage pretty much within 10-15 feet,” Green said. “A lot of it is around the rim and Trayce can affect some of those shots. But it starts with positioning and Sabonis is great at creating angles. You got to make sure you’re good with your positioning against a guy like that. He has all the step-throughs and jump-hooks, double step-throughs that you can imagine. His footwork is great. It will be a tough challenge.”

Jackson-Davis has faced Sabonis on multiple occasions this season. However, this will be his first taste of the pressure that comes with a win-or-go-home game in the NBA. Fortunately for the rookie big man, he will have incredibly experienced teammates to lean on.

Last season, the Warriors eliminated the Kings in the opening round of the playoffs. This season, they’ve tied their season series 2-2. Kerr’s team will need to dig deep if they’re going to progress onto the second game of the play-in. With Jackson-Davis anchoring the middle of the floor, their defense will likely remain steady throughout the night.

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Draymond Green expects hostile environment vs. Kings

Draymond Green is expecting a battle when the Golden State Warriors face the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday.

The Golden State Warriors will face the Sacramento Kings in the first game of the play-in tournament on Tuesday (April 16). The Warriors finished the regular season as the 10th seed in the Western Conference. Whoever wins Tuesday’s matchup will face the loser of the Los Angeles Lakers and New Orleans Pelicans for the chance to face the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round of the playoffs.

When speaking to the media following the Warriors 123-116 victory over the Utah Jazz on Sunday (April 14), Green discussed the environment that awaits the Warriors in Sacramento. He also noted how both teams have familiarity with each other, which could lead to a difficult and competitive game.

“It’s always a playoff-type game,” Green said. “You feel that. You go into their arena, and their fans want to light the beam and see us lose and beat the crap out of us. They come in here and we want to beat the crap out of them. Lot of familiarity between the two organizations. Even beyond just us going out and playing the amount of games against each other over the past couple of years…It kind has brewed into that. For us, it’s another game that we have to go win…We got to go get it done.”

The Warriors have tied their season series against the Kings this season, with both teams winning two of their four games. Sacramento’s fast-paced style of play is always an exciting hurdle for an aging Warriors team to overcome. Nevertheless, Golden State’s experience and star talent should level the playing field.

The Warrior recently turned a corner on their season and ended the season strong. They will need to lean into that production and momentum if they are to stand a chance of processing into the playoffs and making some noise.

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Draymond Green questions double-standards after being hit in the face

Draymond Green called out the game officials after he believed he was struck in the face by Austin Reaves.

During the Golden State Warriors victory against the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday, Draymond Green found himself embroiled in a dispute with the game officials. He believes he was struck in the face by Austin Reaves as the Lakers guard went up for a layup in the third quarter.

During his post-game media availability, Green risked a fine from the league when discussing the incident. He noted that he believes there’s a double standard in these situations and that he is penalized harsher than other players in the NBA.

“I hit somebody in the face, I get thrown under the jail. When I get hit, we don’t see it,” Green said.”… When I blow my breath on someone, they’re reviewing it for a flagrant foul.”

Green has served two suspensions this season and received 10 technical fouls. He has a reputation for playing jump rope with the line of fair play and being overly physical. As such, game officials are likely to be harsher with him as they look to keep his distractions to a minimum and keep control of the game.

Nevertheless, Green calling for parity in how fouls are called is fair. The rules must be the same for both sides. However, with his reputation and recent history, he is unlikely to get the benefit of the doubt in any 50/50 situation. That doesn’t mean other players around him won’t get that courtesy, though.

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Klay Thompson still plans on re-signing with the Warriors

Klay Thompson still plans on re-signing with the Warriors in free agency.

With the regular season drawing to a close and the Golden State Warriors’ future hanging in the balance, the discussion surrounding Klay Thompson’s future with the franchise has resurfaced.

The veteran sharpshooter will become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season. It was recently reported the Orlando Magic would be interested in acquiring him. 

However, during a recent appearance on “The Draymond Green Show,” Thompson reiterated his desire to remain in Golden State for the final phase of his career. Nevertheless, Thompson noted he will be prioritizing his mental health moving forward.

“I just can’t believe it’s here,” Thompson said. “In your mid-20s, you think you’re gonna play forever. I was actually struggling with that a lot earlier this year. … Yes, I wanna re-sign with the Dubs, but I also have to prioritize my mental health and lay out what’s important to me at this point in my career.”

It’s unclear what type of contract offer will be extended to Thompson at the end of the season. With an aging roster, it makes sense that the Warriors are looking to get out of the luxury tax. There will likely be teams willing to pay Thompson more than what Golden State offers.

Nevertheless, if Thompson wants to remain with Golden State, it’s hard to envision that not being a possibility. He’s earned the right to control his narrative and how he bows out of the NBA, whenever that will be. Still, we will not know what he decides to do until later this summer. That doesn’t mean his future will not continue to be a talking point, though.

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Draymond Green changes mind on Victor Wembanyama as DPOY

Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green changed his mind on the DPOY case for San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama.

The presence of Victor Wembanyama on the San Antonio Spurs has completely changed the organization. Not only from the obvious perspective of more media attention being thrown the way of the team, but also on the court, as one could have expected. His defensive impact in San Antonio has been ridiculous.

Wembanyama has even turned things up a notch since the All-Star break. Since the break, Wembanyama has been averaging an absurd 4.4 blocks per game, and so far this season, he has led the league in total blocks by a very wide margin. This sparked some conversation as to whether or not he should be in the Defensive Player of the Year conversation.

Golden State Warriors forward and former DPOY Draymond Green originally spoke out against the idea, but he recently changed his tune on an edition of The Draymond Green Show.

The Spurs may not be a great defensive team, but Wembanyama’s impact on that end cannot be denied.

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Steve Kerr praises Draymond Green and Jackson-Davis pairing

Steve Kerr praises Draymond Green and Trayce Jackson-Davis pairing for Golden State Warriors.

Draymond Green and Trayce Jackson-Davis are developing an exciting partnership in the Golden State Warriors front court. The veteran forward, in his 12th year in the NBA, and the rookie big man have been impressive since sharing the floor as part of the starting unit. Against the Houston Rockets on Thursday, the duo shined.

Jackson-Davis ended the night with 20 points, four assists, five rebounds, one steal and a block. Green anchored the wing defense, led the Warriors in rebounding and was among their most effective playmakers. Steve Kerr praised the duo’s performance when speaking to the media following the game.

“The key to the game was our defense,” Kerr said. “Trayce and Draymond together have changed our team. It’s pretty dramatic. The rim protection, the rebounding that Trayce gives us, what that allows Draymond to do, that has been really fun to watch them together. Trayce, for a rookie, it’s amazing what he’s doing.”

The Warriors have been fortunate this season. Brandin Podziemski and Trayce Jackson-Davis have impressed throughout their first NBA campaigns, while Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody have made significant strides in their development.

The Warriors have all but secured their spot in the Western Conference play-in tournament courtesy of their win over Houston. Now, Kerr must decide whether to stick with the current pairing of Green and Jackson-Davis or whether Jonathan Kuminga’s athleticism and rim pressure will be more important.

As such, Kerr has some tough decisions to make in the coming weeks. Nevertheless, those are good problems to have and prove that Golden State’s decision to straddle two timelines is starting to pay dividends.

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As banter persists, Warriors veteran Draymond Green shows respect to Houston’s Tari Eason

Draymond Green on Rockets forward Tari Eason: “I know what type of player he is. He welcomes the challenge. He welcomes the fight.”

HOUSTON — Warriors forward Draymond Green is a fierce competitor on and off the court, and he loves nothing more than good, old-fashioned trash talk from his opponents. It seems to fuel Golden State’s veteran leader — and the more respect he has for someone, the more he wants to leave a lasting impression that his team will be the best they ever face on a basketball court.

That is why it is no surprise Green and his teammates took great pride in defeating the Rockets, 133-110, at Toyota Center. Thursday’s victory all but eliminated Houston from 2024 postseason contention.

Golden State entered with extra motivation after recent remarks made by the Rockets’ second-year forward, Tari Eason, on Instagram.

“Warriors, come out and play,” Eason said after Houston’s March 27 win in Oklahoma City, which pulled them within a game of Golden State for the final Western Conference play-in tournament spot

Green then used his podcast to respond to Eason, whom he admires as a player, to say that he was putting his teammates in a terrible position — knowing they had one game left to play versus the Warriors. Eason could not play due to a season-ending leg injury.

“Really big-time win for us, especially with the Rockets coming out to play,” Green jokingly said after the Warriors beat Dallas on Tuesday.

“They have lost a couple in a row, you know, and (are) three games behind with seven games left, and you’re losing the tiebreaker,” Green added. “So, four games behind in a sense with seven to go. If my math serves me correctly, (Thursday) will be an opportunity to end their season and their playoff hopes.”

Golden State (42-34) has won six consecutive games as they pull away from the Rockets (38-38), who have lost three straight.

After the game, several Golden State players were heard screaming the phrase Eason referenced from the 1979 movie “The Warriors” as they made their way to the locker room. Guard Steph Curry was heard repeating Eason’s Instagram post from the bench, tapping three water bottles together to recreate the sound from the movie.

Green, who has won four NBA titles with the Warriors, thought the exchange between the two teams was good, healthy banter.

“I love it, I love it,” Green responded when asked about Eason’s comments. “Like I said on my podcast, Tari, if you’re going to say that, you got to play, though. You can’t come out and say that and not play. But I know what type of player he is. He welcomes all that. He welcomes the challenge. He welcomes the fight.”

“I saw him play last year and fell in love with his game because he does the dirty work,” Green said. “That team is better when he is out there. I love the competitive fire. I love the (expletive) talking. That is always fun. Hopefully, next year, he’ll say the same thing, and we won’t be fighting for the play-in; we’ll be fighting for seeding up top.”

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Chris Paul opens up on relationship with Draymond Green

Chris Paul believes he and Draymond Green have a good working relationship due to their similar level of competitiveness.

When the Golden State Warriors acquired Chris Paul during the offseason, there were concerns regarding his potential fit alongside Draymond Green.

The two veterans have endured their fair share of battles against each other throughout their careers. With both being fierce competitors, it was no surprise that little love was lost between them.

However, it appears Paul has come to appreciate what Green brings to the table as a teammate and respect his competitive spirit. Speaking to the media following the Warriors’ win over the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday, the veteran guard shared his thoughts on Green’s importance to the roster and their relationship after a season together.

“That’s easy, because he’s a cerebral player like myself,” Paul said. “Dray thinks the game defensively, like me too. He’s a great passer and all this stuff, but he does the little things like setting screens. This game, it’s actually a simple game if you pay attention to it. … He’s one of the best I’ve seen my whole career. I appreciate playing with someone that sees the games like I do. … I play with the same passion that he does. When he talks or yells, I’m listening to what he’s saying and not how he’s saying it. … If he wasn’t like that, it would mean he didn’t care.”

The Warriors acquired Paul to help propel them toward another championship. After a difficult season full of inconsistency and injury issues, Steve Kerr’s team will need to navigate the play-in tournament.

However, if Golden State can get high-level production out of all its stars, including Paul and Green, they could still shock the Western Conference and make a push for the NBA Finals. They have too much experience and too many competitors for their season to end with a whimper.

Paul will undoubtedly have a big role to play in any potential push the teams makes, if they can navigate the play-in tournament, of course.

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