Draymond Green Believes He's In Running For Defensive Player Of The Year

Post #1 » by **RealGM Wiretap** » Wed Mar 19, 2025 6:30 pm

Draymond Green is starting to make a case for himself as a Defensive Player of the Year candidate. Green has won the award just once in his career, coming in 2017 ahead of Rudy Gobert's first of four in 2018. Green is a four-time All-NBA Defensive First Team selection and four-time Second Team.

Green held Giannis Antetokounmpo to 0-for-7 shooting when contesting him during Tuesday's win by the Golden State Warriors over the Milwaukee Bucks.

"Obviously, if we keep winning and close this year out strong, most definitely," Green said. "I look around the league and don't see many players impacting the game on the defensive end the way I do. I don't see many players completely throwing off an entire team's offense the way I do. One thousand percent.

"Especially with Wemby [the San Antonio Spurs' Victor Wembanyama] going down, seemed like he had it won. And now it is right there. So 1 million percent I have a case, and I will continue to build that case for these next 13 games. Tonight was a prime example of that."

Wembanyama was the heavy favorite for the award until his season-ending blood clot. Evan Mobley, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Dyson Daniels are considered candidate to win the award.

Via Ohm Youngmisuk/ESPN

Post #2 » by **TheCage4** » Wed Mar 19, 2025 9:07 pm

If the Warriors continue winning, it’s because of Steph and Jimmy. Yes, Green is an asset, but he’s also an ass.

Cassius · Post #3 » by **Cassius** » Wed Mar 19, 2025 9:48 pm

Can someone please give Stephen Jackson, Charles Oakley or Ray Lewis a one-day contract?

Vegeta10176 · Post #4 » by **Vegeta10176** » Thu Mar 20, 2025 3:38 am

Wemby was 100% the best defender its a travesty he will be out of the running the dude blocks 4 shots a game be turns all shooters away from the basket he closes out in one step.. He was unreal..

Vegeta10176 · Post #5 » by **Vegeta10176** » Thu Mar 20, 2025 3:40 am

TheCage4 wrote:If the Warriors continue winning, it’s because of Steph and Jimmy. Yes, Green is an asset, but he’s also an ass.

Steph played they lost steph didnt play they won.. All that said gsw didn't start there contention time until draymond took David lee's spot in the line up and ass he may be but an elite defender and HOFer he is.. The biggest turn around is Jimmy of course because Jimmy plugs so many damn holes he can turn an 8th seed into an NBA finals team.. I dont think they have enough to really contend but playoff Jimmy is real..

njknicks · Post #6 » by **njknicks** » Thu Mar 20, 2025 4:13 am

Prior to injury - Wemby for DPOY

Currently - Dyson Daniels for DPOY

Pickled Prunes · Post #7 » by **Pickled Prunes** » Thu Mar 20, 2025 5:09 pm

Vegeta10176 wrote:
TheCage4 wrote:If the Warriors continue winning, it’s because of Steph and Jimmy. Yes, Green is an asset, but he’s also an ass.

Steph played they lost steph didnt play they won.. All that said gsw didn't start there contention time until draymond took David lee's spot in the line up and ass he may be but an elite defender and HOFer he is.. The biggest turn around is Jimmy of course because Jimmy plugs so many damn holes he can turn an 8th seed into an NBA finals team.. I dont think they have enough to really contend but playoff Jimmy is real..

This story is as much about Wiggins as it is about Jimmy. Prior to the trade MIA was about the same when Jimmy sat (12-12) and when he played (13-12). MIA is terrible (2-9) when Wiggins plays. Aside from that mysterious playoff run, Wiggins has been an anchor dragging GSW down. MIA would have been better off just trading Jimmy for Beal.

MitchB3 · Post #8 » by **MitchB3** » Thu Mar 20, 2025 5:21 pm

Pickled Prunes wrote:
Vegeta10176 wrote:
TheCage4 wrote:If the Warriors continue winning, it’s because of Steph and Jimmy. Yes, Green is an asset, but he’s also an ass.

Steph played they lost steph didnt play they won.. All that said gsw didn't start there contention time until draymond took David lee's spot in the line up and ass he may be but an elite defender and HOFer he is.. The biggest turn around is Jimmy of course because Jimmy plugs so many damn holes he can turn an 8th seed into an NBA finals team.. I dont think they have enough to really contend but playoff Jimmy is real..

This story is as much about Wiggins as it is about Jimmy. Prior to the trade MIA was about the same when Jimmy sat (12-12) and when he played (13-12). MIA is terrible (2-9) when Wiggins plays. Aside from that mysterious playoff run, Wiggins has been an anchor dragging GSW down. MIA would have been better off just trading Jimmy for Beal.

Beal has a NTC.

Pickled Prunes · Post #9 » by **Pickled Prunes** » Thu Mar 20, 2025 5:26 pm

MitchB3 wrote:
Pickled Prunes wrote:
Vegeta10176 wrote:
Steph played they lost steph didnt play they won.. All that said gsw didn't start there contention time until draymond took David lee's spot in the line up and ass he may be but an elite defender and HOFer he is.. The biggest turn around is Jimmy of course because Jimmy plugs so many damn holes he can turn an 8th seed into an NBA finals team.. I dont think they have enough to really contend but playoff Jimmy is real..

This story is as much about Wiggins as it is about Jimmy. Prior to the trade MIA was about the same when Jimmy sat (12-12) and when he played (13-12). MIA is terrible (2-9) when Wiggins plays. Aside from that mysterious playoff run, Wiggins has been an anchor dragging GSW down. MIA would have been better off just trading Jimmy for Beal.

Beal has a NTC.

He would have gone to MIA. He would have walked if he had to. The deal didn't happen because MIA want's cap flexibility in what would be Beal's final year.

MitchB3 · Post #10 » by **MitchB3** » Wed Mar 26, 2025 5:11 pm

Pickled Prunes wrote:
MitchB3 wrote:
Pickled Prunes wrote:This story is as much about Wiggins as it is about Jimmy. Prior to the trade MIA was about the same when Jimmy sat (12-12) and when he played (13-12). MIA is terrible (2-9) when Wiggins plays. Aside from that mysterious playoff run, Wiggins has been an anchor dragging GSW down. MIA would have been better off just trading Jimmy for Beal.

Beal has a NTC.

He would have gone to MIA. He would have walked if he had to. The deal didn't happen because MIA want's cap flexibility in what would be Beal's final year.

Beal said he wasn't waiving the NTC.

Pickled Prunes · Post #11 » by **Pickled Prunes** » Wed Mar 26, 2025 7:18 pm

MitchB3 wrote:
Pickled Prunes wrote:
MitchB3 wrote:

Beal has a NTC.

He would have gone to MIA. He would have walked if he had to. The deal didn't happen because MIA want's cap flexibility in what would be Beal's final year.

Beal said he wasn't waiving the NTC.

Beal said a lot of things, but he never put his foot down or closed the door on a potential trade. He said he didn't want to uproot his family mid-season. He also said he preferred someplace warm. MIA said "100% no" to taking back Beal in the deal and none of the third-party teams were in warm locations. But it never came to that. A trade never got to the point of asking Beal to waive his no-trade. All we can do is speculate with the facts at hand:

1) MIA is warm.
2) MIA was Beal's #1 preferred destination before he went to PHX.
3) Spo would find more effective ways to use Beal than Bud has... and I promise you Beal feels misused.
4) PHX has been terrible for Beal. He is being blamed for everything that has gone wrong out there, and a lot has gone wrong. Way too much for it to be any one mans fault. Any human in that situation would want out.

Beal did what every player should do in that situation, say he loves it in PHX, his kids are in school in PHX, moving mid-season is hard on everyone, etc... That doesn't mean he wasn't hoping and praying that he would get the call asking him if he would accept a trade to MIA... Of course he was!