Draymond Green isn't a player other teams can simply duplicate when you consider all the things he brings on both ends of the court, from energy and leadership to ball-handling and distributing to defense and hustle. And we didn't even mention his perimeter shooting.
Take Green off the Warriors, and clearly they are nowhere close to a 48-4 team entering the second half of the season -- he's that important. Even my young son knows he's the heart and soul of Golden State.
But this story isn't about Green, it's about the Warriors setting a blueprint that other teams around the NBA are racing to copy. It's about the importance of having a power forward who can do more than rebound and defend, like so many around the league have done for decades.
The game is rapidly evolving, and shooting from all positions on the floor matters more than ever. Don't believe me? Try keeping up with the Warriors using a point guard with limited range, or a power forward who's a liability on the offensive end. It's darn near impossible.
That's what makes Washington's gamble on Markieff Morris so interesting.