Golden State Warriors are finding success even if they are without Draymond Green. Best example of that was on Saturday when he got ejected versus Utah Jazz and then his team went on to snatch the victory. They even got a better rating with him off the floor.
Is Green still a vital cog for the Dubs? Should the fanbase start accepting that they are better without him? Jimmy Butler does not want to accept that. The start of his answer, however, sows some intrigue.
“I plead the fifth,” he told reporters when asked about their performance about Jazz without the 2017 DPOY.
“I plead the fifth.”
Jimmy Butler says little on the Green ejection, says that he doesn’t think the Warriors play better without Draymond Green. pic.twitter.com/wUMGMlCNJb
— Joseph Dycus (@joseph_dycus) January 4, 2026
Pleading the fifth amendment under US constitution means refusing to self-incriminate. Maybe Butler is trying to be careful with the words he will use concerning his veteran teammate who has been the core of the Warriors since early 2010s.
He followed it up by saying that his importance does not change despite the results.
“That ain’t the formula. We need 23 out there… It’s so hard to do what he does but it’s a collective effort when he’s not out there.”
Draymond Green lately
Green has been ejected multiple times in the last two weeks, leaving more hard work for his team.
Draymond’s last few games:
PHX: Ejected
ORL: Ejected himself
OKC: Rest
UTA: EjectedI’m sick of this guy. He’s a detriment to this team at least half the time now
— Jim Park🏀🌌 (@Sheridanblog) January 4, 2026
He also had an intense verbal altercation with head coach Steve Kerr although they said it is all part of the game and they patched things up right away.
Currently, Warriors are desperately climbing the Western Conference standings after a mid December although they have found success lately, winning games against teams they are supposed to be beating.
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