Why Draymond Green states Knicks, Rockets, Timberwolves are not true contenders

Longtime Warriors icon Draymond Green isn’t sold on the New York Knicks, Houston Rockets and Minnesota Timberwolves.The 14-year Golden State veteran explained why those three teams aren’t true title contenders thus far in the 2025-26 NBA season in Thursday’s edition of “The Draymond Green Show” podcast.“The Knicks, I just don’t believe that they’re contenders,” Green said. “I don’t think they have what it takes to win at the highest level. I think you can stifle their offense and make it hard on them. And ultimately, on the defensive end, anytime you have a couple guys on the floor at the same time, there are really key guys that don’t really want to defend, it makes it tough to win at the highest level. And so that’s kind of my question with the Knicks.”“I love that Rockets roster … to expect them to contend without Fred VanVleet, like, I just think you’re fooling yourself; it’s kind of almost acting as if Fred doesn’t do what Fred does, from a leadership standpoint, from a ball handler standpoint [and] from a shotmaker standpoint. Fred is a bulldog on...