The Golden State Warriors are off to a surprising 6-3 start based on the brilliance of Steph Curry and the surprising rookie performance of Yaxel Lendeborg. The team's overall success has covered up the sharp decline of veteran Draymond Green. It's time for Golden State to acknowledge that his days of being a winning player in the NBA might be finished.

The fact that a 36-year-old who has played a ton of taxing minutes at the pro level is experiencing age-related deceline is hardly a surprise. Green's already done more than enough during his career to see him enshrined in the Hall of Fame when he does decide to ride off in the sunset of retirement. The noteworthy aspect of his 2026-27 season is just how much his play has fallen off.

Green has never been a great shooter, but his inability to score this year has reached shocking levels. He's only shooting 38 percent from the field and 22 percent from behind the arc through seven games. Add it all up, and it equals a putrid true shooting percentage of just 42.9 on the campaign.

There's no way around the reality of just how bad those totals are. They're even worse when you consider the offensive ecosystem Green usually plays in. Sharing the court with a brilliant 3-point marksman like Curry should open up tons of space for his teammates to operate in. Green's been completely unable to take advantage of that on the young season. The Warriors have outscored opponents by a total of 43 points in their nine games so far, but they're just plus-7 in Green's 187 minutes.

Proponents of Green will correctly point out that he still maintains his status as an elite passer. Averaging seven assists per game is a solid total for an NBA starter. The Warriors are wisely putting the ball in Green's hands to initiate a large percentage of their halfcourt offense to take advantage of his passing ability and force opponents to guard him despite his poor shooting output.

It's worth noting that Green still does provide his team with value on the defensive end of the floor. He's still one of the most cerebral defenders in the game. He has lost a step on defense, but he still profiles as a very good team defender due to his ability to read opposing offenses.

What can the Warriors expect from Draymond Green moving forward?

Head coach Steve Kerr will do everything he can to keep Green as a key member of his rotation, but expecting anything more than mild improvement this season is more of a hope than a plan. It's very likely that Green will never be a quality starter again during his pro career.

That reality complicates his future with the franchise. He's headed to free agency in the offseason and will be coming off a contract that pays him just under $28 million. He won't be keen to take a pay cut, but there's no way the Warriors can pay him something in that neighborhood and expect to get reasonable value on the contract.

The team's front office will hope that Green can elevate his offense play to become something close to a league average level while maintaining his defensive excellence. That would boost their chances of squeezing their way into the playoffs. It would also make it easier for them to justify giving him another contract at a number that might not harm his ego. It's a delicate balance for everyone to try to achieve as the regular season rolls along.