Warriors sage Draymond Green believes in Brandin Podziemski but warns: ‘Be careful’ – The Athletic

SAN FRANCISCO — Draymond Green is the big brother protector of the Golden State Warriors. He is the vocal leader, the emotional engine and the man who helps make sure, alongside Stephen Curry and Steve Kerr, that everything is running smoothly on the floor for the proud franchise. His words matter — which is why his answers after Sunday’s practice were even more interesting than usual.

Green was asked about Brandin Podziemski’s recent comments to The Athletic regarding the desire to earn the trust of his teammates, specifically Green and Curry; Podziemski said he hoped they could go to Warriors owner Joe Lacob and general manager Mike Dunleavy down the line and say the 22-year-old Podziemski could uphold the standard they’ve set over much of the last two decades.

The 35-year-old Green, who’s earned the right to express himself after four NBA championships and 13 seasons with the Warriors, gave an answer that went almost four and a half minutes. What was clear in that lengthy answer is that Green respects Podziemski and believes in his future, but there were many layers to the message the veteran forward wanted to get across.

Green was in a good mood after Sunday’s practice. He had given several different interviews since his initial media day appearance on Sept. 29, but this was the first time since that day he sat at the podium and spoke to a collection of reporters at the same time. He hit on a variety of different topics, but one of his most revealing answers came when asked whether he likes when a young player speaks openly about wanting to earn trust, as Podziemski did during the first week of camp.

“I think you’re worried a little more when someone struggles with confidence,” Green began. “It’s very hard to give someone confidence. I think with BP, one, you appreciate the respect. You go through so many years of building this thing up, you always just hope that the young guys that come in just respect you. Because if you do respect, then there’s so much to give from us. So much for us to give. And you want to give that.”

For years, many players who come through the Warriors’ system have said that they look up to not only what Curry and Green have done on the floor, but that they can learn from the journey both men have taken to become faces of the franchise. There is an awe for many young Warriors teammates in playing with Curry. Many of them grew up patterning their respective games after him. Green’s success feels more tangible to other players, though. Green carved out a Hall of Fame-worthy career after being a second-round draft pick whom few expected much from in 2012. As Green continued his answer about Poziemski’s comments, he revealed just how strong he feels about what he’s built within the organization.

“The beauty about this is, Steph and myself, we care about the organization,” he said. “We don’t just care about what happens this year for us. Good, bad or indifferent, we’re tied to this thing forever. Our name will be on this organization forever. And so you care what that looks like. When I’m 45 I don’t want to come watch some sorry a– team play. I want to come when it’s jumpin’ and you get the whole feeling of like how it was when you were doing it. And so, that matters.”

What matters most as the Warriors enter another season with championship expectations is that they keep Curry, Green, Jimmy Butler and Al Horford healthy heading into the postseason. But what’s just as important is that young players like Podziemski take another step in their games — especially when the veteran core has to take nights off during the year. That’s why Green fluctuated as between the pride he felt that Podziemski would be confident enough to say what he said and the caution to know how much weight comes from those words.

“So to hear BP say that, it’s exciting,” Green said. “But as a leader, for him, you also understand what that comes with. And so with him I say: be careful. Don’t tell people too much. Because the more you tell people, the more they try to use it against you and tear you down. So I think you can look at the trajectory of this thing and where it’s all going, and we all believe he’s going to be one of the guys that takes the torch and run with it. But be careful …”

After four NBA titles, Draymond Green has earned the right to dole out words of wisdom. (David Gonzales / Imagn Images)

Green wants Podziemski to understand that his words, even said as goals, have the kind of depth that leaves the third-year guard open to criticism. Green loves the cockiness, the swagger that Podziemski displays, but he wants him to protect himself and not get caught up in criticism if and when struggles come during the year.

“Don’t give people too much,” Green continued. “Because the moment you have a bad game …”

Green took a pause, as if he were remembering something that happened to him.

“Something our young guys haven’t had to deal with because we’re here — it’s like when things go wrong they don’t get crushed,” Green said. “We get crushed. But we’ve gotten crushed for years, so it’s fine. When you start going through that, that’s a different thing that you have to deal with, and I think one of the benefits of being a young guy here is you haven’t really had to experience that. And I don’t want him to experience that before he has to, because that’s a heavy weight. And if you don’t have to go through that, leave it where it’s at.

“We all have the utmost confidence in him and what he’s going to become. I don’t want him to jump the gun on that and allow people to use that against him, and then people try to speed your clock up like, ‘Oh, man, you should be doing this now.’ But it’s hard as hell to do that now with us on this team, because things are going to look a certain way. But then people try to speed up your clock and what you should be, and I would hate to see that happen to him. Because if they try to speed up your clock but you don’t quite have the opportunity to do what they’re trying to speed you up to do, then it’s an unfair shot.

“I remember, when I was a young kid, my mom telling us, ‘Be a kid as long as you can,’” Green said. “‘Because then you got bills.’ Like, stay in that spot as long as you can because so much more comes with it when you get to a spot where you want to go. And like I said, as a leader you want the young fella next to you grinding and wanting to take that. That’s what you want. But talk to us about it. Don’t tell everybody else. Don’t let them use it against you. So he will be that, no question, but it ain’t his time to be that yet.”

Kerr has basically said Podziemski would join Green, Curry, Butler (if healthy) and a yet-to-be-decided fifth player in the starting lineup for Tuesday’s regular-season opener against the Los Angeles Lakers. Kerr has repeatedly praised the young guard for his play throughout camp. It’s clear that Green believes in his young teammate as well.

He trusts that Podziemski will do what it takes to improve throughout the year, and he respects that Podziemski was open with how he feels about his game — Green just wants him to distill those feelings a little differently down the line. Green believes that relationships with younger players are built the way they are so that if that player needs a little guidance along the way, he can provide it. He doesn’t want to change what Podziemski believes about his game, he just wants to guide that belief a little more when he can.

“You don’t reign it in too much,” Green said of a young player’s confidence. “(Then) you change the guy. So you just let ’em run rampant, and then when they f— it up, you call ’em in and then you try to help them out … I agree with people having confidence. You should have confidence. You worked your a— to have confidence. So there’s no correcting it, nor should you try.”