There have been a few times since 2012 when Draymond Green’s occasionally rambunctious conduct tested the limits of everyone within the Warriors’ orbit, including the team’s prince of patience and prudence, Stephen Curry.
Never for a moment, though, has Curry considered endorsing a Green-Warriors divorce.
“I don’t ever get into that narrative because he’s had some situations where people want to criticize and jump in,” said Curry, appearing on NBC Sports Bay Area’s Dubs Talk podcast, which debuted Monday. “And he’s obviously taken a lot of responsibility for things that have happened over the years.
“But when it comes to seeing somebody for who they truly are and what they bring to the table, there’s no better example of a friendship and a teammate relationship that can stand the test of time. Because there’s just trust at the end of the day. I know he’s going to show up with the right mentality and do it his way and over the course of a season. I can rely on that.”
Now in their 14th season as teammates – longest active duration in the NBA – Curry-Green is a ride-or-die relationship. It goes back to Green’s rookie season, when he proved capable of helping the Warriors in ways no one else could. They bonded off the court, too. When Curry, a devoted Carolina Panthers fan, mentioned in 2015 that he and his family were flying to Seattle to see them face the Seahawks, he was reminded of their notoriously boisterous fans.
Curry’s response: Draymond’s coming with me. And, naturally, when things got rowdy at the stadium, Green relished playing the role of bodyguard. That provided Curry with a glimpse of Green’s commitment to those closest to him. He understood it because he’s no different in that regard. They’re both born under the Pisces astrological sign and their loyalty is reciprocal.
At the heart of their relationship is the pursuit of victory. They’re outstanding individual players, with Curry as Golden State’s offensive engine and Green playing the same role for the defense. Their two-man activity on offense is sublime, as it should be after 771 games together. Each man’s game is enriched by the other.
“I’ve said it since his first game, pretty much in terms of him being a guy that could influence the game no matter what the stat sheet says,” Curry said. “And he’s lived up to that and beyond his entire career, and as a true winner.
“But there are times where I need him to lift me up emotionally, because you know I might not have it in the tank. And I need to kind of cool him off if he’s running too hot at times, and vice versa.”
It’s Draymond’s emotions that at times rub people the wrong way and also diminish the effectiveness of the Warriors. Between technical fouls and other small fines, he has turned over nearly $1 million to the NBA, according to Spotrac. He has been suspended six times over a seven-year (2016-2023) span, losing more than $3 million in salary.
The most sensational moment of Green’s unwelcome conduct came in October 2022 when he slugged then-teammate Jordan Poole in the face during a training-camp practice. Some within the organization pondered whether Draymond still was good for the franchise.
Curry was among the many who were disappointed with the needless violence, but he stood by his longtime teammate.
“His highs and his lows are a little bit (louder) than most,” Curry said. “When you’re teammates and friends and been together with somebody for that long . . . he’s seen my highs and my lows, too, and whether that’s in front of the camera on the court, or behind the scenes in the locker room, or whatever. We’ve both had those moments where we can kind of lift each other up.”
It is that rarely publicized side of Green that Curry appreciates most. The world knows of Draymond’s blowups, but Curry and others close to him know of the kind, giving individual who grew up in rugged Saginaw, Mich., and understands the value of being there for others, particularly those in need.
Which is an attribute shared by Green and Curry, who as the son of NBA star Dell Curry, grew up under very different circumstances.
“That’s the stuff that you learn over the course of getting to know somebody from Day 1,” Curry said. “Seeing him as a husband, as a father, as a friend, the idea of how he shows up for people. He’s taught me a lot as well just in the consideration of trying to meet people where they are. As wound up as he is, he has a very empathetic side to him that not many people get to see.
“He’s fiery, and he keeps you on edge all the time. And that’s kind of what you need. But the other side of him, Pisces gang. He’s a feeler too. Don’t let him get it twisted.”
Curry has seen dozens of teammates come and go since 2009, when he was drafted by the Warriors. Green came and has stayed. The result has been six trips to the NBA Finals, with four ending with a championship. These achievements don’t happen without Steph – or Draymond. “Oh, zero,” Curry said when asked how many titles the Warriors might have won without Green. “Zero. Zero. “And the idea is, hopefully, there’s one more in the tank.
“And he would say the same thing about me. He’d say the same thing about Klay (Thompson), or Andre (Iguodala) or (Kevin Durant). It goes back to the fact that when it’s all said and done, we’ll be able to go back to those specific moments.”