Draymond Green, a Golden State Warriors forward, is upset with a recent remark made by Phoenix Suns general manager James Jones.

During his year-end news conference, Jones stated that one of the Suns’ aims is to “continue to figure out and maximize Kevin Durant.” The GM stated that no team has done that before, and the Suns would “be the first team to do it.”

That didn’t sit well with Green, who mentioned on “The Draymond Green Podcast” that Jones had played for the 2017 Cleveland Cavaliers, who fell to Durant and the Warriors in the NBA Finals. Green believes the Warriors got the very best out of Durant at the time.

“I was baffled when I watched James Jones make this comment,” Green stated in a statement. “In 2017, James Jones was on a team that lost in the NBA Finals against Kevin Durant. And Kevin Durant averaged 35 points, eight rebounds, and five assists while shooting 55% from the field, 47% from three, and 93% overall. And when you have an a- hole like the Cavs, I find it difficult to believe that James Jones can then claim that no one has been able to optimize Kevin Durant.

“When your team does not have plays to get Kevin Durant coming off a pindown, get Kevin Durant catching the ball at the elbow with a live dribble, getting Kevin Durant to the spots that Kevin Durant wants to get to and likes to score from…when your team is set up that way, I’m sorry, but you didn’t maximize Kevin Durant. 

But don’t say nobody has maximized Kevin Durant because you’ve been on the wrong side of Kevin Durant being maximized.”

Durant was not the sole choice in Golden State, and the same is true for his job in Phoenix. Green raises some valid concerns regarding Durant’s dominance in the 2017 Finals, but Jones may want to do so more frequently. 

 Whatever the case, it appears Durant agrees that the Suns were not getting the most out of him offensively.