Draymond Green admits fault in Warriors losing 'soul'
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The Golden State Warriors have encountered an unexpected slump after opening the season with a strong 12-3 record. Currently at 18-18 and barely holding onto a play-in berth, the team is navigating unfamiliar challenges. After a difficult loss to the Miami Heat, despite Stephen Curry's excellent showing, Warriors forward Draymond Green seemed his usual outspoken self late Tuesday evening.
On Tuesday, during the Warriors’ second consecutive disappointing loss, Green still managed to tally 10 rebounds and 10 assists. However, he appeared visibly downcast as the game concluded, getting up from the bench with ice wrapped around his back and knees, slowly making his way toward midcourt to exchange greetings with several Heat players.
Draymond Green and the Warriors’ soul
Green addressed his teammates shortly after, telling them they had lost their spirit and soul and needed to reclaim both urgently. The Warriors (18-18) have dropped 15 of their last 21 games leading up to Thursday night's matchup in Detroit, placing them in ninth place in the tight Western Conference standings.
"We can try to point to Xs and Os all we want, but the spirit of the team has to be right," said the Warriors enforcer. "When stuff goes wrong, you gotta lift up and rise to the challenge. And right now I feel like we're feeling sorry for ourselves and just kind of dropping our heads.
Green acknowledged that the responsibility falls on him to bring back the team’s intensity. When asked about his approach, he explained that he needs to stir up disruption, create turnovers, and avoid letting negative body language affect the team’s morale, as reported by The Athletic’s Ohm Youngmisuk.
Warriors head coach Steve Kerr expressed a similar perspective earlier in the season, stressing the team’s ongoing quest to define its identity amid new additions and changing playing styles. With important games approaching, the Warriors face several challenges to address, both on and off the court, including the trade rumors that could impact their roster.
What’s in store for the Warriors in the future?
Draymond Green refrained from commenting on potential roster changes ahead of the Feb. 6 trade deadline, but he made it crystal clear that he does not expect the Warriors to part with Kuminga in any trades.
The Warriors star forward has taken on a mentoring role for Kuminga, offering guidance both on the court and with words of encouragement off it. He expressed confidence in Kuminga’s potential, stating that the young forward could be the face of the franchise for years, implying that the Warriors would be reluctant to trade him for an established star.
Regarding the need to win now with Curry still performing at an elite level, Green emphasized, "JK can help us win now, 1,000%. Any guy who can put up 20 points a night at will, regardless of how the game is going, they can help you win now."
Young talents like Trayce Jackson-Davis and Jonathan Kuminga, both showing promise this season, could also find their development trajectories altered if included in trade packages. Draymond Green's recent comments about "finding the soul" of the team underscore how critical cohesion is to the Warriors' success. A poorly executed trade could risk derailing the team's morale further.
The post Draymond Green admits fault in Warriors losing ‘soul’ appeared first on ClutchPoints.
