Draymond Green on Shawn Marion saying he was better defensive player: I guarded Brunson, Brown in back to back series

The reason the Warriors feel so let down at times by Draymond is that he’s lifted them up so often, too. It’s not just one thing. With Draymond and the Warriors’ dynasty, it’s always both, in almost equal measures but eventually tipping to the conclusion that the Warriors have always made with Draymond. “Man, Draymond was incredible tonight,” Kerr told reporters in San Antonio. “That was a defensive masterpiece. … You watch that game, Draymond, he’s a genius defensively.” -via The Athletic / April 1, 2024

But this is the most important part: The Warriors’ leaders, from Curry to Steve Kerr to Joe Lacob to Mike Dunleavy Jr., know that they can still count on Draymond delivering great and soaring moments, too, usually quite soon after the lowest ones. They know they need Draymond for nights just like Sunday, when he came out of halftime (when the Warriors trailed by eight) like a missile, scoring 11 points in the third quarter, dominating the Spurs on defense and generally willing the Warriors to a 117-113 victory in San Antonio that capped off a 4-1 mark on their toughest road trip of the season. -via The Athletic / April 1, 2024

But wait: The Warriors won the game, anyway. Draymond didn’t cost the Warriors a victory because this season they’ve got a deeper bench and more options. They rallied without him. And he’s been open about how much he appreciates that they did. That doesn’t mean Draymond was wholly forgiven by the Warriors’ leaders or their fans for the ejection. But also, I repeat, you have to realize the practical nature of the Warriors’ process. They are still better with Draymond than they are without him. Warriors management decided that one more time last offseason when they gave him a four-year, $100 million extension, which means he’s signed for $24.1 million next season, $25.9 million in 2025-26 and has a player option for $27.7 million in 2026-27. At some point, the Warriors might explore trading him, but that won’t be anytime soon. Plus, the likelihood of getting anything very valuable back in return is almost zero. -via The Athletic / April 1, 2024

Paul George moved up from No. 87 to No. 85 in the scoring all-time list after passing Magic Johnson, Shawn Marion -via HoopsHype / March 18, 2024

“As far as skillset and scoring-wise, yes, [Luka is better than Dirk],” Marion said on SiriusXM NBA Radio. “That’s not even a question. As far as what Dirk has done, the longevity and history, no, [Luka isn’t better than Dirk]. Dirk is a seven-foot assassin with a fadeaway, but as the whole package, that’s not even actually a relevant question honestly. Look at how much Luka is able to do on the floor.” -via Sports Illustrated / March 14, 2024

Giannis Antetokounmpo moved up from No. 86 to No. 85 in the scoring all-time list after passing Shawn Marion -via HoopsHype / February 1, 2024