Warriors star Draymond Green picks Thunder role player as third-most important piece

Draymond Green knows plenty about winning basketball. The second-round pick in the 2012 NBA Draft played a key role in the Golden State Warriors dynasty, helping them win four championships and make six NBA Finals appearances in eight seasons.

He also knows a lot about defensive tenacity and intensity as he was often the driving force of their defensive unit during that stretch. The four-time All-Star recently revealed his choice for the third-most important player on the Oklahoma City Thunder during the latest episode of "The Draymond Green Show with Baron Davis".

Green claimed that the title belongs to Alex Caruso, citing his experience as an NBA champion.

"When I look at this OKC team, I actually think the third-most important player is Alex Caruso," Warriors star Draymond Green claimed Monday. "And I find it very interesting because he comes off the bench. I think that's always interesting in itself. He's coming off the bench and he's the third-most important player."

"I think Caruso is so important to what they do and I feel like you never game plan for him," Green added. "And so, because you don't game plan for him, he comes into these Finals and he goes crazy. But the reality is, he's a champion, so he actually knows what to expect."

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Green noted that -- if he were an opposing coach -- he would prioritize game planning for Caruso over Chet Holmgren. He noted that two-time All-Defensive Team guard has a championship background as he won the 2020 title with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Caruso has played a key role off the bench for the Thunder in 18 games this postseason. He has averaged 9.6 points, 2.6 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.7 steals and 0.5 blocks per game while shooting 46.0% from the field, 41.6% from three-point range and 80.0% from the free-throw line. He tied his postseason career-high with 20 points in Game 2 of the NBA Finals, finishing as Oklahoma City's second-leading scorer in the must-win game.

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