The Draymond Green Dilemma Will Revolutionize the NBA

Draymond Green is a restricted free agent this summer, which is looking to be a huge dilemma for the Golden State Warriors.

Green, 25, was described by head coach Steve Kerr earlier this year as being “the heart and soul of the team,” and rightly so. The 6-foot-7-inch forward has been central to the team’s unheralded success this season, utilizing his versatility to cause a plethora of perplexing problems for opposing players of all shapes and sizes; in addition, Green has solidified himself as the team’s glue guy — the player who does the little things both on and off the floor to keep the team together, motivated, zealous.

But is he worth a max contract? It’s by no means an easy question to answer.

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Traditionally, a max contract player would be — as Bleacher Report’s Howard Beck put it — a complete, two-way player that a team can build around. While Green’s defense may be elite considering he can guard multiple positions, there’s no denying he still leaves something to be desired offensively. Let’s face it: power forwards that average a mere 11.7 points on 44.2 percent shooting are NEVER featured in max contract discussions, so what makes Green so different?

ESPN’s Ethan Strauss set this premise up nicely back in January:

"“We’re talking about a second-round pick who’s shorter than 6-6 in socks, who doesn’t jump high, create his own shot or dominate the ball,” Strauss wrote. “A rookie max deal for a scrappy “tweener” averaging the fourth-most points per game on his team? Basketball doesn’t work that way — yet.”"

It’s scary for some — those who grew up learning the specific responsibilities of each position are now forced to throw away conventional understanding and accept that basketball has evolved to where positions no longer apply (or have changed). This  concept certainly applies to Green, who doesn’t fit into any position prototypically.

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Size is normally an important variable when a max contract is a possibility, but Green is rather short for a power forward; he’s shown, however, that his height doesn’t hinder his performance against opposing frontcourt players. He’s continually proven himself among the top defensive players in the league, placing him in the running for Defensive Player of the Year. His ability to shoot the three and pass the ball also helps spread the floor, pulling opposing big men out to the perimeter.

And though he has improved from three-point range, saying he’s a stretch-four is somewhat of a stretch considering his 33.8 percent shooting from behind the arc falls below the league average; instead, he’s shown he’s a jack-of-all-trades (or in this case, shots), master of none. He also lacks the athleticism that is so greatly desired at the wing position, and he hasn’t shown a consistent ability to create his own shot.

Yet ESPN’s Jeff Van Gundy reasoned early on that Green would be in the conversation for a max contract, basing his argument solely on Green’s versatility.

"“How many guys defend, rebound, pass and make 3s?” Van Gundy said. “That combination, you just don’t see.”"

Stan Van Gundy, older brother to Jeff Van Gundy, also seems to share the same mindset. Stan, who currently serves as both head coach and president of basketball operations for Green’s hometown team, the Detroit Pistons, went on record to praise Green prior to Detroit’s matchup with the Warriors last Wednesday.

"“Everybody needs that kind of guy,” Van Gundy said.“When you’re talking about a tough guy who can also shoot the ball, there’s your ideal.”"

For Green, who reportedly has interest in signing an offer sheet with the Pistons as a restricted free agent, such high praise coming from the team’s president likely means the interest is mutual. Two things to note:

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The Warriors are very unlikely to offer him the max right off the bat considering it would make him the only max player on the team, the fifth player to be paid more than MVP-candidate Stephen Curry come next season and the only player that will possibly be paid more than Klay Thompson; the latter idea is hardly worth overthinking as the size of a player’s contract hasn’t thus far affected Golden State’s chemistry, but to think that the Warriors would commit such a great deal of money to a player not unanimously considered among the top-3 players on his team  — let alone an elite level player in the NBA — is absurd.

So while the possibility of the Pistons offering Green a max contract offer sheet kind of solves the first problem, the second problem remains: is Green truly worth going into the luxury tax for via a max contract?

Judging from what Warriors general manager Bob Myers said on the team believing in “organic growth and continuity,” it’s logical to assume the front office would do whatever it takes to keep this team together for as long as possible; however, an anonymous NBA scout advises caution, sharing a different perspective on Green:

"“He’s one of those guys who’s a product of the system. I’d be very uncomfortable paying him zillions of dollars. He is situationally [valuable]. He’s got two great point guards, he gets a lot of surplus stuff from them. He’s a good rebounder. He’s a complementary guy. But he’s going to get paid like a second or third option, probably. I would be cautious, if I’m any team other than Golden State. I’m not sure his talents are totally transferable. He’s just not that talented. He does the little things, he can guard, he’s a winning player. What they like about him is his leadership; he’s become the leader of that team. I’m not sure that’s transferable.”"

SB Nation’s Tom Ziller also wrote on the matter in January, coining the term “situational superstar” in regards to players comparable to Green (i.e., Shawn Marion with the Phoenix Suns). Ziller, too, elaborates on how Green’s skills perfectly compliment that of Curry and Thompson and the system they run, but do not necessarily translate to being deserving of a max contract.

"“The thing about Green — and, in some ways, Kawhi Leonard and even Jimmy Butler — is his impact is totally contextual. Put him on a team without two explosive scorers or a team that doesn’t have lots of defensive talent and you’re still probably only getting 12 points and eight rebounds with really good individual defense and good ball movement. That’s nice and all, but it’s not $14 million a year nice.”"

Surely, the criticism on Green stems from what attributes he visibly lacks: size, athleticism, the ability to create his own shot, etc. These traits are typically associated with players who are considered max level players; therefore, the fact that there’s even a debate on whether a player such as Green deserves a max contract — a player who lacks the aforementioned traits — is literally game-changing.

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Nevertheless, such talk of Green’s skills not being transferable or simply situational should be taken with a grain of salt; in fact, such talk should theoretically steer teams away from tossing hefty offer sheets at Green, especially with Warriors management making it crystal clear they intend to match anything that comes his way.

Traditionally, Green may not look like an elite level player, but there’s no denying that the Warriors are THAT much better when he’s on the floor as opposed to sitting on the bench. The traditional stats may not support that notion, but the advanced stats certainly help in building a strong case.

He’s a good starting forward that can possibly grow into a great starting forward [for any NBA team] for years to come, but is he truly a max-worthy player? Is he truly worth a year of paying the luxury tax? That all remains to be seen. Whatever the case may be, it’s crazy to think that versatility — that is, despite being a tweener not particularly great at any one skill or dominant at any one position– has grown to be something that the basketball world now considers worth a max contract, worth paying the luxury tax.

Say goodbye to the NBA of old, and say hello to the era of position-less basketball.

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