What Myers told Draymond about improving shot, scoring

Draymond Green was so good during the 2015-16 season that he finished seventh in MVP voting and was named Second-Team All-NBA.

He averaged career bests in scoring (14.0 points), field goal percentage (49.0) and 3-point percentage (38.8).

His numbers in those categories have declined over the years, which is something that has been discussed quite frequently.

"We've seen Draymond shoot. He's capable. We're not asking somebody to do something they haven't done," Warriors president of basketball operations Bob Myers said Wednesday on 95.7 The Game's "The Morning Roast" show. "So it's about getting that back.

"The challenge for Draymond is when you're playing with the guys he had played with -- why would I shoot if I've got Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson and Steph Curry? And you're smart. That's the smart thing to do. I'm just gonna move it along.

"And then all of a sudden you don't have two of those guys. And you start thinking you haven't had to be aggressive offensively because you've had so much firepower, so you have to rethink your own approach.

"Now, he's just gotta take that and drill it, and train it so it becomes second nature where there's no hesitation on his shot."

Myers and Steve Kerr had a long chat with the three-time NBA champion earlier this week during Warriors exit interviews.

"When we sat with him, I said, 'Draymond, if you were me talking to yourself, what would you say?' Myers explained. "And he said, 'Shoot the damn ball. I need you to score.' He doesn't want to be let off the hook for that. He's not that type of human being. He's not gonna run from it.

"It requires practice, it requires coming in with a new mindset. We're confident and he seems motivated."

Context always matters, and it's important to remind everybody that Draymond got off to a very slow start offensively this season because it took him awhile to get into peak shape following a long absence due to COVID-19 health and protocols. Don't forget that he missed all of training camp and the first four games.

But then Draymond got his wind back and things got better. Just look at these splits:

-First 39 games: 6.0 points, 39.7 percent overall, 24.3 percent on 3s, 77.4 percent on free throws, 8.4 assists

-Last 24 games: 8.8 points, 51.6 percent overall, 30.8 percent on 3s, 82.9 percent on free throws, 9.6 assists

But despite the improvement, there were several games where the Warriors needed more from Draymond in the scoring department.

The three-time NBA All-Star scored just two points (0-for-5 shooting) in Golden State's agonizing loss to the Los Angeles Lakers in the play-in tournament, and needed to take a better shot at the end of regulation in the season-ending loss to the Memphis Grizzlies.

RELATED: Myers talks challenge of figuring out Paschall's Warriors fit

"There's no getting around the fact that when he makes a 3, makes a couple 3s, gets 10 or 12 points, we are a better team," Kerr told the media Monday. "Draymond knows that.

"The whole point going into next year is for me as Draymond's head coach and as the coach of this team to really encourage that kind of aggression but to help that aggression. I’ve got to do more to help Draymond offensively.”

Having said all that -- the 31-year-old finished tied for third in assists per game (8.9), is one of three finalists for Defensive Player of the Year and impacts winning at an incredibly high level.

Yours truly is extremely confident that Draymond is going to be a monster on both ends of the court next season.

Follow @DrewShiller on Twitter

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