NBA: Warriors Forward Explains Regular Season Plan Leading New-Look Team

The Golden State Warriors go in to the 2019-20 season after a number of changes to the team during the offseason. They have lost a number of key players who were part of the five-year dominance that saw them make consecutive NBA Finals and win three championship rings.

Kevin Durant, Andre Iguodala and Shaun Livingston were the three biggest departures and with Klay Thompson out at least until March with an ACL injury, the Warriors will be a completely different team this upcoming season. Draymond Green will have a bigger role to play this season and despite being considered one of the best defenders in the NBA, the Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY) award which he won in 2017 is likely to be difficult to achieve again in 2020.

Green, a three-time All-Star, has been one of the key players during the Warriors’ period of dominance and he is now ready to take on more responsibility. He is not concerned about winning the DPOY this year after revealing that his main mission is to bring the new-look Warriors together and get them playing as a team.

"There's no doubt I will have a great year," Draymond told Mark Medina of USA Today Sports. "But my focus every day coming into the season can't be on Defensive Player of the Year. It can't be this or that."

"It has to be bringing this team together and making this work. Then if I bring this team together and make this work, all of those things will take care of themselves."

Green also spoke about the reason he signed an extension with the Warriors rather than explore free agency next summer. The power forward/center did not want to start the season dealing with speculation about his future and believes the best decision was to re-commit to the Warriors with whom he wants to spend his entire playing career.

“I didn't want to come into this season dealing with all of that stuff. It kind of becomes a headache,” Green said at the Warriors' Media Day on Monday. “It definitely played a little part in it, and just understanding what was best for myself and my family and for this organization. I've said it a million times now – I want to be here for my entire career. What makes that possible? What makes that more realistic? I think this did.”