Draymond GreenForward, Golden State Warriors

Draymond Green Explains How Micah Nori Handled Damian Lillard & Ja Morant Lineup Controversy Wrong

6 Oct 2026 · 1 min

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In this commentary, Draymond Green analyzes the recent public dispute over the Portland Trail Blazers' backcourt lineup. He notes that Damian Lillard announced his desire to start alongside Ja Morant, prompting coach Mike Connaughton to publicly push back, arguing the pairing is premature. Green argues that such public exchanges can erode locker‑room trust, especially early in the preseason. He suggests a better approach would have been to test the Lillard‑Morant combination in a preseason game while moving Jrue Holiday to the bench, allowing the coaching staff to assess the duo’s size and defensive limitations without exposing internal debates. Green emphasizes that private, experimental evaluation preserves team cohesion and provides clearer data for final lineup decisions.

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Damian Lillard came out and said that he and Ja Morant will start together in the Blazers backcourt this season. However, Blazers coach Mike Connaughton came out and said starting Morant and Lillard doesn't make sense. Far too early in the preseason for a player to be saying something, then the coach coming back like, no one needs to know all of this. If not already, at some point down the line, he's going to wish that he could take this back. And not that he could take this back, that it does anything wrong, but it may break the trust just a tad of your guy. Dame wants to go out and say that, cool. I'll address that with Dame, but I don't necessarily need to make Dame look like a fool in front of the world. Reason being, you're still 20 days away from having to decide a starting lineup. What I think Mike Inori should have done, I would have started them the first game together in the preseason, and I would have brought Jrue Holiday off the bench. Because if I believe that they're 2 undersized guards who doesn't excel defensively, I would have let them see it. Pulled Jrue to the side. Hey Jrue, I'm gonna try these 2 guys. I think ultimately, Jrue, you're gonna be the starter. But I'm gonna try these 2 guys to see how it works out, and then we'll go from there. But coming out, having those conversations in public, at times, this is how coaches can lose a locker room.