It has been an eventful week for Draymond Green.
On Saturday, the star forward was ejected in the second quarter of the Warriors’ win over the Phoenix Suns. Two nights later, Green didn’t play for the majority of the second half in Golden State’s victory against the Orlando Magic after getting into a heated exchange with coach Steve Kerr on the Warriors’ bench.
Now, ESPN NBA insider Marc J. Spears reported Tuesday that Green is “frustrated” with his role in Golden State, which perhaps could explain why he and Kerr butted heads.
“I’m hearing too that Draymond is a little frustrated with having to guard centers and having to guard guys that are 40-to-50 pounds heavier than him on a nightly basis,” Spears said on “NBA Today” (h/t @ohnohedidnt24 on X).
The Warriors signed veteran big man Al Horford this past offseason, in large part to allow the 6-foot-6 Green to play more as a power forward than a center. However, Horford has battled injuries to start the 2025-26 NBA season, playing in just 13 of Golden State’s 30 games and starting only once.
While young center Quinten Post has impressed in his second season, he’s averaging less than 19 minutes per game. As a result, Green frequently has to play significant minutes at center, serving as the primary defender against post players that often are over six inches taller than him.
Kerr said before Monday’s game that Horford could return from a back injury for the Warriors’ Christmas Day matchup with the Dallas Mavericks. Maybe that will help ease Green’s frustration as Golden State looks to get back on track for the new year.
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