In this inaugural episode of the Draymond Green Show, Draymond Green reacts to Phoenix Suns GM James Jones' statement that no team has yet maximized Kevin Durant’s potential. Green argues that the Golden State Warriors already did, citing Durant’s scoring efficiency, defensive contributions, and the team’s system that freed him from leadership burdens. He critiques the Suns’ roster construction—particularly the lack of a true point guard—and suggests that without proper ball‑handling and positioning, the Suns cannot maximize Durant. Green also defends Durant’s leadership style as lead‑by‑example rather than vocal. The segment concludes with a brief DraftKings Sportsbook promotional read.
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Welcome to the brand new Draymond Green Show YouTube channel. Hit subscribe so you don't miss out on any of our content. Because we're gonna talk about Kevin Durant now. The Kevin Durant that didn't come to the Knicks when everybody thought he was coming to the Knicks and went to the Brooklyn Nets. We're gonna talk about him now before we talk about the Knicks. James Jones, and not in particular are we gonna even talk about KD, although we kinda are. James Jones recently, had interviews, end of season wrap interviews. And he said, in quote, "A constant focus for us is to continue to figure out and maximize Kevin Durant. No one has done it yet. I believe we'll be the first team to do it." And I must say, as long as James Johnson believes that they'll be the first team to try to maximize Kevin Durant potential, As long as they'll keep struggling, because that means they're not watching what or how, or even going back to look at film of when Kevin Durant was most successful. And I must say, I was baffled when I watched James Jones make this comment because, and I get like, you gotta see the whole interview. Like some of the stuff he was like, you got it and you understand. And like, you could tell he was really— Yeah. Being a true leader, which James Jones is very well respected for, even before the general manager job, James Jones was a well-respected leader in the NBA. What he was doing was being a leader, like, let me try to take some of this pressure off Kevin, let me try to help Kevin, and blah, blah, blah. I get it. But sometimes when we go down those rabbit holes, we go a little too far and we exaggerate things just a little too much. Because James Jones was on a team in 2017 that lost in the NBA Finals to Kevin Durant when Kevin Durant was with the Golden State Warriors. And Kevin Durant averaged 35, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists on 55% from the field, 47% from 3, 93% shooting. And when you got your ass bust like the Cavs got their ass bust, I have a hard time believing That James Jones can then, after sitting there on the bench, getting in a game every now and then to see if he can hit a 3, could then come out and say, no one has been able to maximize Kevin Durant. When your team does not have plays to get Kevin Durant coming off a pin down, get Kevin Durant catching the ball at the elbow with a live dribble, Getting Kevin Durant to the spots that Kevin Durant want to get to and like to score from, when your team is set up that way, I'm sorry, but you didn't maximize Kevin Durant. But don't say nobody has maximized Kevin Durant because you've been on the wrong side of Kevin Durant being maximized. You've been on the wrong— and when I say maximized, I'm not just talking about a couple plays in the game. Kevin Durant was maximized at the Golden State Warriors. You know why Kevin Durant was maximized at the Golden State Warriors? Because Kevin Durant was allowed to do what Kevin Durant only wants to do. You know what that is? Just play basketball. Kevin Durant didn't have to worry about leading the team. He didn't have to worry about— and by the way, K's a great player and he works his ass off. More of a lead by example type guy. The way he worked with us, I'm not gonna sit here and be one of those people and act like, oh, he didn't bring any type of leadership. Like the way he worked on a daily basis is leadership. Like, yes, he's not vocal. Yes, he's not gonna say, hey, come on, let's go and do this. But the way he worked every single day is leadership because that is a lead by example. You got young guys, you got guys who look at Kevin Durant and think he's a great player and want to— okay, this is what he's doing, I need to do that. That is a sign of leadership. So I am not one of the people that's going to say he never led at all, like, that's garbage. But he didn't have the burden of I need to lead this team every single day from all aspects ever in Golden State. When he was with us, that was not a thing. He did not have a role of I need to get these other guys involved. No, none of that. You know what he did? Score. Oh shoot, they switching this screen and rolling me and Steph. Here, K, go get a bucket. Score. That is maximizing Kevin Durant. You know why? Because Kevin Durant scores. Oh, by the way, let's go look at his defense when he was with the Warriors. That is maximizing Kevin Durant. Yeah. Go look at his defense when he was with us. Go look at his defense this year. Sometimes it was good, not as consistently as it was with Warriors. When K was with the Warriors, he was one of the best rim protectors in the league. Yep, you heard it. I'm gonna say it again. He was one of the best rim protectors in the league. Our small lineup worked in part because teams would try to go small and have no rim protection and think we just out there. No, me and K out there protecting that rim. Yeah. Andre come across, strip you, protecting that rim. K was protecting the rim, which is why I came on this podcast and said, if, if the Phoenix Suns want to beat the Minnesota Timberwolves, K, who I know can be a great defender, gotta go guard Anthony Edwards. That never happened for a large part of the series. Guess what? I'm looking at the Beats right now, and the Phoenix Suns are too. Somewhere in the world. And that was one of the reasons why. So to say didn't maximize Kevin Durant, no, the Phoenix Suns didn't maximize Kevin Durant. And in large part, you didn't have a point guard. Guess what? Maximizing Kevin Durant requires you to get Kevin Durant to the spot that Kevin Durant likes to score from. And y'all didn't do that because they thought that they could get it done without having a point guard. Didn't work. So I thought that was wild because yeah, you right. No one has maximized Kevin Durant like the Golden State Warriors did. I'm gonna give James Jones a little word of advice. You wanna maximize Kevin Durant, go get a point guard. You wanna maximize Kevin Durant, put him in positions to score. Yeah. You wanna maximize Kevin Durant? Take some of the other weight off his shoulders. But until you do that, you will be singing this same tune that nobody maximized Kevin Durant because y'all didn't. And that's just the case. And that is a lie. And no, that is not how we rolling because nah.
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