Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green has heard the chatter. He knows that people are counting the Warriors out following the departure of Kevin Durant in free agency, but he doesn’t agree. In fact, he thinks such talk is disrespectful to a Warriors team that has won three NBA titles in the past half-decade. But, in his eyes, such disrespect is nothing new. 

“I’ve heard people say we’re not gonna make the playoffs. That’s crazy to me,” Green said in an interview with ESPN’s Rachel Nichols. “I mean, that’s just, like, that’s total disrespect, but no different than the disrespect we’ve all been getting for years.” 

Green isn’t alone with his feelings, as Warriors All-Star guard Klay Thompson also said something similar earlier this offseason when discussing people writing the Warriors off as legitimate contenders moving forward. 

“I think that’s a little premature to say that there’s no more dynasty,” Thompson said, via USA Today. “We still have Stephen Curry, a two-time MVP. Draymond Green, a Defensive Player of the Year. Adding D’Angelo Russell was an incredible gift for us. The kid is gonna blossom into a superstar in this league … To say the dynasty is over I think is a little ignorant because I’m going to come back better and even more athletic. It would not be smart to count the Dubs out. That’s all I tell people.”  

It’s been a few years since the Warriors have entered a season as an anything less than a favorite to win the title, but Green us looking forward to getting back to being the hunter, rather than the hunted. Westgate currently has the Warriors at +1200 to win it all — the same odds as the Jazz.

“I like it,” Green said of Golden State’s newfound underdog status. “You know, being the underdog. It’s been a while since we been the underdog. But it brings that underdog chip back, and I miss that chip. I’m pretty sure Steph [Curry] missed that chip, and some of the stuff Klay been texting me this summer, I’m positive he misses the chip … So to the oddsmakers, thanks. You got me where I am today. I look forward to where they take me again.” 

It sounds like we’ll see an extra-motivated Draymond during the 2019-20 season, as he will want the prove the Warriors’ doubters wrong, while also proving that he was worth the four-year, $100 million extension that he signed with the Warriors over the offseason,