Stephen A. Smith Slams Draymond Green’s Criticism of Offensive Struggles Under Steve Kerr

Over the past few days, Draymond Green has been in the news for discussing the future of Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr after finishing another season at the play-in stage.

What has complicated matters is that the 60-year-old had set up his contract with the view that it would coincide with the expiration of both Green and superstar Stephen Curry’s deals.

However, the latter inked an extension after his stellar showing at the Paris Olympics, and the defensive playmaker can exercise his player option for next season.

The only thing remaining is for Kerr to sort out his future, but Green is not sure his coach will return. After all, he has seen his head coach face a lot of criticism over the team’s performances.

At the same time, there is uncertainty over the Michigan native’s future, as some believe that his lack of offensive production does not make up for his intensity on defense.

We can not count the number of times that defenses have sat back and dared Draymond Green to shoot jump shots, and he did not convert. That is not the coach. That is you… I am not about to sit here and blame a coach for you as a player, for you having opportunity after opportunity and years to improve your jump shooting ability, and it never happened.

Stephen A. Smith said

"He had ample opportunity to have better numbers offensively if he simply could make open shots from the perimeter, and he didn't do it repeatedly. That's not the coach. That's you."@stephenasmith reacts to Draymond Green's comments of Steve Kerr "hindering" his offensive game… pic.twitter.com/aEw5Y1rsMS

— First Take (@FirstTake) April 30, 2026

The analyst reminded his colleagues that Draymond Green once scored 32 points in the decisive 2016 NBA Finals Game 7. Since then, he has never produced anything close. That is why the lack of offensive prowess is the forward’s fault, and not that of his head coach.

Draymond Green blamed Steve Kerr for his lack of offensive development

Stephen A. Smith and his First Take colleagues were discussing this topic after Draymond Green said this about Steve Kerr on his Draymond Green Show.

As much as he’s done for me in basketball, a part of me thinks he’s hindered me in my career and what I could have become… When I think of who I was offensively as a player and who I became, I think a part of that is due to him.

Draymond Green said

It seems the 36-year-old was taking shots at the lack of development on the offensive side. Draymond Green believes that Kerr is to blame for not creating schemes for him to score.

Instead, all he does is wait for an opportunity to lay it up or throw down a dunk. The Michigan State Spartan pointed out that this trend started once Kevin Durant arrived.

His primary complaint is that it has been seven years since the Slim Reaper left the Warriors. But Steve Kerr has still not deployed a scheme to enable Green to produce offensively.

Draymond Green and Stephen Curry’s presence could convince Steve Kerr to return

The last time Steve Kerr signed a contract extension, the Golden State Warriors made him the highest-paid coach in the NBA. No eyebrows were raised when that happened, as his resume shut down any possible criticism.

Fast-forward to now, and the situation has changed. Since winning the 2022 championship, they have exited the playoffs twice at the semifinals stage, and did not even make it past the play-in games on two other occasions.

For any other team, those are not results that will lead the organization to avoid renewing the coach’s contract. But this is the Warriors, and their top superstars are aging.

By the time the next postseason comes around, Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler will be 37, Stephen Curry will be 39, and Al Horford will be 40.

But they are also the reason Kerr could return, albeit for a reduced contract. The Warriors’ owners know he is the best person to get the best out of those future Hall of Famers.

Also Read:

• Skip Bayless Disappointed With Shaquille O’Neal Labeling Victor Wembanyama ‘Perfect Big Man’
• Shaquille O’Neal Calls Out LeBron James’ Lakers For Playing Costly Hero Ball in Game 5