5 Realistic Draymond Green Trades Warriors Should Consider Right Now | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats, and Rumors
Less than 24 hours after throwing a rolling haymaker that landed on Jusuf Nurkić's face, the NBA handed down an indefinite suspension for Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green.
ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski further reported on some of the details of the disciplinary action.
"Draymond Green, Warriors GM Mike Dunleavy Jr., and Green's agent Rich Paul of Klutch Sports are expected to meet Thursday to start discussing a path of counseling and help for Green to move forward," Wojnarowski posted. "The league didn't want to put a specific number on the suspension, but allow Green to take the time he might need to deal with challenges he's facing."
We later learned, in a statement posted by the NBA, that Green "will be required to meet certain league and team conditions before he returns to play."
There's little need to rehash years of Draymond's history in this space, but it's safe to say it came into play with this decision by the league. The somewhat rapid succession of his punching Jordan Poole in practice prior to last season, stomping on Domantas Sabonis last postseason and choking Rudy Gobert just last month had to be a factor, too.
And those incidents may now be the subject of discussions in Golden State's front office.
"Where is this all going?" The Athletic's Sam Amick wrote. "... With that league-record $400 million payroll (including luxury taxes) hanging over their heads, when might Warriors owner Joe Lacob decide that it's time for a significant change? As one front-office executive put it in the wake of Green's leveling of Nurkić, 'I'd imagine some reassessments (are happening now).'"
The implication there, of course, is that Golden State might finally be considering moving on from Draymond. ESPN's Zach Lowe noted that he's Stephen Curry's "guy," and that none of the lightyears-ahead era Warriors would be moved without the franchise player's OK. But even for a four-time champion and likely future Hall of Famer, most of the goodwill banked with fans has been withdrawn at this point.
Moving him would not be a difficult thing for the front office to sell, at least to the fans and media. The trickier part is getting another team to take him, his baggage and the three years and $77.7 million left on his contract after this season (with 2026-27 being a player option).
Add to all of that the fact that Draymond turns 34 in March, and his trade value has never been lower.
Still, from a basic-stats perspective, he's been solid this year. He's averaging 5.8 assists and 1.2 threes, while shooting 42.9 percent from deep. Assuming he can keep his poise following whatever treatment he receives during this latest suspension, his multipositional defense could help a number of playoff contenders on that end.
So, which teams might take the risk? Bearing in mind that at this moment it seems unlikely any front office would surrender a first-round pick for him, here are some trades that make sense.
