Draymond Green has pushed back against former Golden State Warriors star Monta Ellis's recent claim involving Stephen Curry and the franchise's championship dynasty.
Ellis recently suggested that the Warriors could have enjoyed similar success if Golden State had moved Curry instead of him and built the team around Ellis.
Green, who won four NBA championships alongside Curry, made it clear that he does not agree with the idea that championship teams can simply replace one star with another and expect the same results.
"I don't love the comments about replacing Steph with other players because it gives you a false sense of what winning a championship actually requires," Green said on The Draymond Green Show.
"That's just not how you win championships. You don't win championships by, 'Oh man, move this player,' because it's so much more that goes into it."
Draymond Green explains what made Stephen Curry different
Green stressed that building a championship team involves much more than comparing players based on their individual basketball ability.
"It's not just the basketball," Green continued. "It's the makeup of the person, you know, how does that guy lead? How does the organization then fall into place with that guy being the face of the organization?
"It's so many other things that goes into it other than just once you step out there and lace the shoes up and go play the basketball game."
The Curry-Ellis decision remains one of the defining moments in Warriors history.
Golden State traded Ellis to the Milwaukee Bucks in 2012 in a package that brought Andrew Bogut to the Warriors, effectively handing control of the franchise to Curry.
The decision ultimately transformed the franchise. Curry developed into a two-time MVP and the centerpiece of a Warriors team that went on to win four NBA championships, with Green and Klay Thompson becoming central pieces alongside him.
Curry's influence also stretched beyond his production on the court. Former Warriors general manager Bob Myers has previously highlighted Curry's willingness to sacrifice and his role in recruiting Kevin Durant, while Green has repeatedly pointed toward his longtime teammate's leadership and personality as crucial elements of Golden State's culture.
The Warriors reached six NBA Finals and won four championships during the Curry-led era.
Curry remains the face of the franchise entering the 2026-27 season, with Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy recently reiterating that the 38-year-old wants to finish his career with Golden State.