The Warriors have been at the forefront of schematic changes occurring in the NBA over the last decade, which has resulted in four championships in eight years.
Draymond Green recently revealed what Golden State's reaction was when coach Steve Kerr introduced his ball movement style and wanted the Warriors to move away from the pick-and-roll offense that dominated the NBA in the early 2010s.
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Now, the Warriors are changing the game again as Kerr mixes in two versatile big men on the floor, which allows their offense to flow better when the opposition respect Green's shot. Many teams noticed, and this offseason made moves to keep up with Golden State.
"I like when teams zig when everybody else is zagging," Kerr told reporters. "I think it's smart. I think our advantage has always been Draymond Green. He gives us the flexibility to play big or small. And sometimes we accomplish the small part even playing big because he's so smart. And I think [Kevon Looney] has now entered that conversation, too."
What the Warriors want in having versatile big men is the ability to defend when teams decide to play them small or when the opposition goes big.
Green has proven that he can stay on the floor while defending away from the paint when teams decide to play small ball. Additionally, the 32-year-old has shown that he can guard while having his back to the basket,
Golden State Warriors
"You think back to the Finals, we played Loon and Draymond together a lot," Kerr said. "What we lost in terms of spacing we more than made up for in terms of intelligence, hand backs, screening. We were able to generate plenty of offense, and then at the other end, put our best defensive lineup on the floor.
"... As other teams play bigger, or really stretch you out and go smaller, we always feel like we can adapt either way because of Draymond mainly. But like I said, I think Loon is part of that, too. Not to mention [Andrew Wiggins] who can guard multiple spots; Klay Thompson. We have been blessed to have a great, flexible roster."
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Imitation is the best form of flattery. It will be interesting to see if during the 2022-23 NBA season, other teams can successfully replicate what the Warriors are doing with versatile big men.