Wednesday evening on “Inside the NBA” It was less of a pregame show and more of a roasting session as Draymond Green joined the office.
The Golden State forward started going at it with Charles Barkley as the Mound Round of Rebound mocked the sinking ship that is the Warriors dynasty.
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Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors reacts during a game against the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California on April 10, 2026. (Rocky Widner/NBAE)
The tension began when Sir Charles decided to praise the Dubs while looking Green straight in the eye.
“It’s over for the Warriors. No disrespect. It’s over for all the old teams,” Barkley said.
“You’ve made it; you’re getting older; you’re letting Klay go. You and Steph are on the downside of your career; it just got away from you.”
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Barkley kept his foot on the gas.
While crediting the Warriors for “one of the greatest runs of all time,” he made it clear that Father Time remained undefeated in the paint.
“Sports… look, sports is for young people,” Barkley added. “You hope to have a great, long career, but sport…no one wins at 37, 38.”
NBA TV analysts Charles Barkley and Chris Webber speak with Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green after Game 3 of the NBA Finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio on June 7, 2017. (John W. McDonough/Sports Illustrated)
Predictably, Draymond was unable to take the jokes.
He waited for the opening and went for the jugular, referencing Barkley’s infamous sunset years in Texas.
“Yeah, I mean, I think the goal is just to not look like you in a Houston Rockets uniform,” Green replied.
The move was a direct hit during Barkley’s ring-running era in Houston, where the Hall of Famer was renowned for being a shell of his MVP.
Green then moved into a rare moment of veteran self-awareness and admitted the Warriors were in a transition phase, but insisted pedigree matters more than box score.
“I think understanding what success is at this point is critical for us,” Green explained. “Knowing and understanding that it may not be realistic to win a championship, but can we continue to build on that so that once we leave this organization, it’s still in a great space?”
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Despite Draymond’s talk about maintaining a winning pedigree, this year has been a harsh wake-up call for the Golden State faithful.
Draymond Green and head coach Steve Kerr of the Golden State Warriors react during the fourth quarter against the Atlanta Hawks at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia on March 21, 2026. (By Griffin/Getty Images)
The Warriors’ season ended with a whimper as they finished 10th in the West and were immediately bounced in the play-in tournament.
Barkley might think the light is fading, but Draymond is clearly going to continue swinging on his way out.
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