Count Warriors head coach Steve Kerr among those who aren’t concerned about forward Draymond Green’s lagging production.
“I don’t think I need anything more from Draymond because I think his engagement has been great,” Kerr said before Saturday night’s game against the Pistons at Chase Center. “He really is doing a great job leading the team. He’s very vocal in film sessions. He’s vocal in terms of trying to help a group of guys come together and figure out how to be a team.
“When he is on the floor, he’s been active. He helps our defense all of the time. So, I’m fine with him right now. I think he's doing a good job.”
Kerr’s assessment is rooted in the fact that Green, 30, isn’t a player whose imprint on the game can necessarily be distilled to statistics. More than any blocked shot or 3-pointer, his value is felt in how he organizes the Warriors’ defense, directs younger players on the floor, sets an emotional tone and gets the team into an offensive flow.
Still, it’s hard not to notice that his numbers this season are down in numerous categories. Though he is 11th in the NBA with 6.7 assists per game, Green is averaging just 4.9 points on 34.6% shooting (22.6% from 3-point range), 4.6 rebounds, 1.2 steals and 0.1 block.
Each of those numbers are on pace to be his worst since his rookie season in 2012-13. Green averaged just 13.4 minutes per game as a rookie, little more than half of the 26.5 minutes he is averaging this season.
Even Green’s defense, seemingly a strong point, has disappointed — that is, if one is judging it based on stats. His defensive rating of 107.9 ranks 225th in the NBA this season.
Part of the dip in production might speak to Green acclimating to an overhauled supporting cast. After missing the first four games of the season with a foot issue, he is still getting back to peak shape as he adjusts to his new teammates.
Regardless, some critics believe that Green’s less-than-stellar numbers reinforce the notion that he’s past his prime. After posting modest stats last season on a league-worst team, Green talked plenty about silencing his doubters in 2020-21, only to hear some of the same naysayers again take issue with his play.
The good news for Green: The man in charge of his minutes, Kerr, has no qualms with what Green has provided little more than a quarter of the way through the season. According to NBA.com, the Warriors have outscored opponents by a 0.6 net rating with Green on the floor. That number plummets to minus-4.4 without him
“I gauge Draymond based on his emotional engagement, and just his fire and his energy that he brings,” Kerr said. “He’s one of the smartest players I’ve ever been around, and he automatically makes us better just by being out on the court because he’s in the right spot or making the right play.
“When he’s been like he has this year, where he’s engaged and leading, that’s when he’s at his best. He would probably tell you he’s not playing his best, he can play better. And I’m sure he will. But he’s engaged, and he’s competing and he’s helping the young guys. That’s the main thing I’m looking for.”
Connor Letourneau is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: cletourneau@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @Con_Chron
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Why Warriors aren’t worried about Draymond Green’s lagging production - San Francisco Chronicle
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