Draymond Green believes the reaction to his recent comments about Kristaps Porzingis missed the larger point. After portions of his remarks regarding Porzingis’ retirement circulated online, some fans criticized Green and accused him of being dismissive of the former Warriors big man’s decision to step away from basketball.

Green, however, argued that his comments had been taken out of context.

“For all the dummies that only read clipped quotes…. I’m here to help you. Reading is fundamental… reading quotes without context… well that’s just dumb,” Green wrote on Threads.

The backlash stemmed from Green’s earlier remarks after Porzingis announced his retirement on November 6. Some fans interpreted those comments as insensitive after Green emphasized that the Warriors had already moved forward and compared the situation to spilled milk. That response ultimately prompted him to provide further clarification.

To reinforce his point, Green shared a screenshot containing his full comments and the wider context surrounding them.

“Since I’ve been here on this team, it’s never been about bickering, never about ‘Shame on this guy,’ ‘Shame on that guy,'” Green told The Athletic.

“No one’s sitting around bashing this guy or even worried about him, for that matter. In our minds, we’ve moved forward with the players that we have here.”

Green stressed that Golden State was not criticizing Porzingis for stepping away from basketball.

Instead, he said the organization had adopted the same approach it would take following any major roster change: support the players who remain and focus on moving forward.

“Like I said, everybody’s moved on. It’s a next man up mentality, right? That’s an opportunity for Charles Bassey. That’s opportunity for Graham Ike to get more minutes and continue to try to elevate his career.”

“So you embrace those guys, and you pour into those guys, to try to help them.”

Porzingis was expected to play a significant role for Golden State because of his ability to protect the rim while also stretching defenses with his outside shooting. His inability to play and eventual retirement created uncertainty before the season. Green later admitted the Warriors were initially caught off guard by the development: “Jolted.”

Still, Golden State has responded impressively. After opening the year 0-3, the Warriors have won six straight games and improved to 6-3.

Green has spent much of that stretch operating as the team’s primary center, while several teammates have expanded their responsibilities. One of the biggest beneficiaries has been Yaxel Lendeborg.

Lendeborg has been shooting 39.6% from three-point range this season on 5.9 attempts per game and has emerged as an important floor-spacing option in Golden State’s offense. His best performance came during the Warriors’ 124-112 victory over the Clippers despite the absences of both Stephen Curry and Green.

Lendeborg erupted for 37 points and connected on six of his eleven attempts from beyond the arc, including a difficult three-pointer over Derrick Jones Jr. late in the second quarter.

Charles Bassey is another player Green specifically highlighted. Despite averaging only 11.3 minutes per game, Bassey has provided efficient production with 7.0 points, 5.3 rebounds, and one block per contest. His impact was especially noticeable in Golden State’s 116-113 win over Phoenix.

After Green was ejected following his altercation with Dillon Brooks, Bassey delivered 19 points and eight rebounds off the bench to help secure the victory.

Green acknowledged that losing Porzingis forced the Warriors to adjust their plans.

At the same time, he made it clear that his earlier comments were never intended as criticism of the veteran big man. Instead, his point was that Golden State had embraced a next-man-up mentality and focused its energy on the players who remained available.

With the Warriors sitting at 6-3 and still expecting Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody to return later in the season, that remains the organization’s focus moving forward.