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Draymond Green responds to the prospect of spending a lot of time at center: "I'm gonna ask for a trade"
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- Draymond Green responds to the prospect of spending a lot of time at center: "I'm gonna ask for a trade"
With the Golden State Warriors ' season-opener on Tuesday night approaching, head coach Steve Kerr has a dilemma on his hands. Moses Moody 's calf injury has thrown a monkey wrench into Kerr's plans, creating significant uncertainty about the Warriors' starting five when they face the Los Angeles Lakers .
At the center of it all is veteran Draymond Green , who was asked for his thoughts if he were to play a lot of minutes at the center position once again this season. Although the former Defensive Player of the Year has proven throughout his 13-year NBA career that he can thrive as a five in small-ball lineups, it can be taxing battling league behemoths like Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid , especially since he's already 35 with a lot of mileage on his legs.
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Not the size of the body but the heart
Steve has deployed Draymond as the Warriors' center more times than he's comfortable with. At 6'6", Green doesn't have the height or weight of a traditional center, but he's made up for it with his tenacity, physicality and basketball IQ. However, playing against bigger opponents regularly can take a toll on his body, leaving him running on fumes late in the season.
"If I got to play the five, I'm gonna ask for a trade," he said in jest during his media availability session on Sunday.
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However, Green also knows that his playing center for the Warriors benefits the team in more ways than one. With his ball handling and elite passing ability, he can grab the rebound and initiate the offense himself. And with his unique chemistry with Warriors superstar Stephen Curry , the team's offense becomes even more dangerous.
"I think you all know me. Whatever helps this team, whatever puts us in the best position to win, that's what I'm going to do. I train to prepare myself for whatever's to come," he stated. "Playing the five isn't always about size. It's about the size of the heart. And I think my heart is as big, if not bigger, than anyone's in this league. I always trust in that."
As fearless as Draymond is, especially when he's down in the trenches battling against players much taller and bulkier than him, his basketball IQ also gives him a leg up on the competition. So he stressed that he's not worried at all about positional switches because he's got the knowledge and skillset to handle whatever situation comes his way.
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"I think my brain helps get me by quite a bit. I can outthink some guys, you know? So I just use the tools that I have. But I'm not putting a huge emphasis on whether I'm playing the four or the five," Green added.
Green trusts Kerr's judgement
Draymond understands that every player in the league has an ideal position that they want to play. However, it doesn't mean that's what's best for the team. In the Warriors' case, although they have veteran center Al Horford , Kerr has expressed a desire not to burden him with extensive minutes. Instead, he wants to reserve Horford primarily for crucial moments.
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This is where Green's versatility becomes crucial.
"I think that, you know, in life, we all have ideally what we would like. And I have ideally what I think it would look like," he remarked. "But I also know that I play a team sport. And in playing a team sport, what may be best for you personally — or what you think is best — if that's not best for the team, then you're selfish."
"And I take pride in not being selfish. So whatever that looks like, that looks like. Wherever I can help — if that's, 'Oh man, you slide to the five, that's going to help this lineup, that's going to help this rotation,' great. If it's, 'You slide to the four,' great," Green added.
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Although NBA teams continue to deploy small-ball lineups with players who can launch from deep, several squads are also using "double-big" combinations that leverage two traditional big men on the court at once.
Whatever the case may be, the Warriors can rest assured that Green will be up to the challenge.
Related: Draymond Green admits the Warriors' struggles humbled him: "You don't get many chances"
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Oct 20, 2025, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
