We know from his on-court leadership and his appearances in the broadcast booth, albeit in a small sample size for the latter, that Draymond Green definitely knows his stuff. He's one of the headiest players in the game, even if he sometimes lets his emotions take over, and that high IQ and veteran experience has led to quite the impressive career. Entering his age-31 season, Green is a leading voice on the Warriors and likely has a say in several of the team's day-to-day activities.
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Whether or not he really did have a say on the night of the 2021 NBA Draft is unknown, but he seemed to be on the same page with the front office regardless of how much of an impact his opinions had. Following the draft, Warriors GM Bob Myers divulged that he had been texting with Green throughout the night, and the veteran forward's suggestions were spot on.
"Draymond I talked to — like at four in the morning in Tokyo, five in the morning or six in the morning — while we were picking," Myers said. "He texted me after the third or fourth pick and he said, 'Kuminga,' and I said, 'we'll see if he's there.'
"So he's happy. And then at about the ninth pick, he said, 'Moody,' and I said, 'I don't think he's gonna be there.' And I didn't even give him those names. So he gave me a big thumbs up."
That's pretty good work right there from Green, especially knowing (or wishfully thinking) that G-League standout Jonathan Kuminga and Arkansas product Moses Moody would be available when they were. Both of those picks were expected by many to go before the No. 7 and No. 14 picks, respectively, and it's due to those reasons that the Warriors got one of the best hauls in the draft, on the surface, of any team in the league.
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The 6-foot-8, 210-pound Kuminga should definitely learn a thing or two from Green, and it makes sense why he was on the do-it-all veteran's radar. Green is one of the best defenders today, and arguably of all time, and Kuminga was touted by Kyle Irving of NBA.com as "the most versatile defender" of the entire 2021 draft class. Is that a match made in heaven, or what? There's perhaps no better mentor for a versatile defensive skill set in the entire league.
Green should also be able to help Kuminga develop in the areas of his game where he's lacking, such as his effort and focus — you'll never find Green missing the mark in either of those areas — as well as his passing. Green also became quite a formidable three-point shooter at his peak, knocking down 38.8 percent of his attempts from deep in 2015-16, and Kuminga's accuracy could certainly use a boost (24.6 percent in G-League play).
Moody, on the other hand, seems like a guy that just fits in the Warriors system. A very safe player in the three-and-D mold that can contribute right away... why wouldn't Green want to play with Moody?
It was a good night for the Bay Area, and Green's happiness should be the biggest testament to that.
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