JaMychal Green was in a plunge pool on vacation in Jamaica when the Warriors called. On the brink of signing with another team, Green was a little stunned to hear from Steve Kerr, but the invite to join the defending champions was too enticing.
“After talking to him, I just couldn’t tell him no,” Green said. “With the organization and what they built over there, just felt that I’d love to be part of it.”
The Warriors officially signed the 32-year-old on Monday to a one-year deal, reportedly worth the veteran’s minimum, on Monday. Green, listed as a forward, will be used primarily as a stretch five in some of the Warriors’ small-ball lineups, much like the role departed players Otto Porter Jr. and Nemanja Bjelica played for Golden State last season.
Shortly after hanging up with Kerr, Green got a call from Draymond Green with another sales pitch explaining how he’d fit in. The two Greens talked for a bit, but they had a friendly relationship before having played together in the AAU circuit from the time JaMychal grew up in Alabama. Draymond Green, who also made a convincing sales pitch to new Warrior Donte DiVincenzo, didn’t have to do too much convincing.
JaMychal said he was looking forward to helping Draymond with “the dirty work,” knocking down shots and playing defense.
“It wasn’t a hard decision,” he said. “You come here and handle business, you can set yourself up for life. I’m just happy to be here.”
Green spent the last two years with the Denver Nuggets playing alongside MVP Nikola Jokic. He played through a wrist injury last season that hindered his shooting numbers. His 29% shooting on 3-pointers in 2021-22 is a far cry from the 38% clip he maintained throughout his previous nine seasons playing for the San Antonio Spurs, Memphis Grizzlies and Los Angeles Clippers. Over the three seasons prior to 2021-22, Green shot 39.5% from 3 on an average of 3.3 attempts per game.
Early into Green’s first season with the Nuggets, Jokic said he hoped to play with Green “for the rest of his life,” but the Warriors ended Green’s run with Denver in the first round of the playoffs this April.
“He’s amazing. His effort, his energy, his toughness,” Jokic told reporters in January 2021. “When you’re down, you don’t want to play bad or be called (out) that you didn’t put in effort with him on the court because the guy is amazing. All the best to him. Whatever he does, he’s aggressive. Attacking the ball, shooting the ball. When he made mistakes, I had nothing to say to him because he’s getting it back.”
In June, the Nuggets agreed to trade Green and a first-round pick to the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for the draft rights for this year’s No. 30 pick (which turned into Peyton Watson) and two second-round picks. On July 20, the Thunder bought out Green’s contract and waived him. The Warriors signed him after he cleared waivers.
Green said he’s excited to learn and grow alongside a championship team.
“I just feel like they keep you on your toes. Coming here, you can’t settle, get satisfied or anything,” Green said. “You constantly working here and getting better. That’s something I need to be around. Be around types of players that won championships that have that leadership. They have everything here. From Andre (Iguodala) being a leader as well. Steph (Curry), Klay (Thompson), Draymond. I look forward to playing with those guys.”
