Longtime Warriors icon Draymond Green isn’t sold on the New York Knicks, Houston Rockets and Minnesota Timberwolves.

The 14-year Golden State veteran explained why those three teams aren’t true title contenders thus far in the 2025-26 NBA season in Thursday’s edition of “The Draymond Green Show” podcast.

“The Knicks, I just don’t believe that they’re contenders,” Green said. “I don’t think they have what it takes to win at the highest level. I think you can stifle their offense and make it hard on them. And ultimately, on the defensive end, anytime you have a couple guys on the floor at the same time, there are really key guys that don’t really want to defend, it makes it tough to win at the highest level. And so that’s kind of my question with the Knicks.”

“I love that Rockets roster … to expect them to contend without Fred VanVleet, like, I just think you’re fooling yourself; it’s kind of almost acting as if Fred doesn’t do what Fred does, from a leadership standpoint, from a ball handler standpoint [and] from a shotmaker standpoint. Fred is a bulldog on the defensive end. It’s kind of discounting what Fred means to that group. … You need elite guard play to win in the playoffs. And Fred is elite.

“The T-Wolves, to say that they are a contender right now — I think they lost some key faces. Nickeil Alexander-Walker was a very key piece for them … and I think they’re still trying to figure out, like, their point guard position. Still trying to figure it out, I can’t say that you’re a contender when you’re trying to figure those things out. They’re bringing Mike Conley off the bench now; they’re trying Donte DiVincenzo at the point now. So, they’re trying to figure it out.”

Green, a four-time NBA champion with the Warriors, knows what winning entails. And he doesn’t believe New York, Houston or Minnesota have what it takes at this point in the young campaign.

In Green’s eyes, some of the Knicks stars — presumably Karl-Anthony Towns and Jalen Brunson — aren’t premier defenders, and the Rockets and Timberwolves each have point guard problems.

There is a lot of basketball left to be played. However, Green hasn’t loved what he’s seen from those three teams, which many expect to make deep postseason runs.

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