Five potential trade destinations for Draymond Green (if the Warriors decide to go down that route)
The Golden State Warriors’ title defense season has gotten off to a rocky start before it even began with Draymond Green punching Jordan Poole and then video of the incident being leaked to TMZ.
Green is currently taking a sabbatical away from the team to focus on himself and to allow the team to heal. While the Warriors are seriously considering disciplinary action, general manager Bob Myers indicated prior to the leak that suspending Green was unlikely. It’s unclear if that will change now that the incident is public, but their inaction thus far should indicate that they intend on working through this and moving forward with both Green and Poole… but you never know.
Why the Warriors would try to make things work
While Green is away from the team, the Warriors first need to make things right with Poole. Of course, his extension negotiations will be factored into this especially since the deadline for rookie-scale extensions is a day before the start of the regular season. Recent deals for Anfernee Simons (four years, $100 million), RJ Barrett (four years, $120 million), and Tyler Herro (four years, $130 million) could represent Poole’s floor in a new deal.
But aside from that they also need to show how much they value him and make sure they’re on the same page going forward. Poole played a huge role keeping the Warriors afloat in last year’s regular season. which featured many missed games from Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Green. Although his role was reduced in the deeper rounds of the playoffs, he adds an additional element to Golden State’s offense that is critical to their success.
If Poole feels he cannot trust Green or the organization going forward, that might set a chain of events that could set the team back from contention. With all that said, it feels like a good bet Poole will get extended before the season starts.
There’s no need to explain to the average basketball fan why the Warriors want and need to keep Green. Golden State wouldn’t be able to replace his combination of defensive versatility, awareness, and leadership as well as his ability to create scoring opportunities for others, keep an offense flowing, and run in transition. Add in the four championships and six Finals appearances and the Warriors have a delicate situation to manage: disciplining him without alienating him.
Green also is extension-eligible throughout the season for up to four years, $138.7 million, which would give him an average annual salary of $35 million per year. It’s been reported that the Warriors don’t intend on extending him this season because he isn’t on the last year of his deal, though he can decline his $27.6 million player option and enter unrestricted free agency in 2023. This incident could very well impact Green’s future extension negotiations, whenever they may be.
The timing of Green’s contract situation and this incident will likely stir conversations about his future in Golden State. He is known for being confrontational on the court in the spirit of competitiveness and this is an incident where that line was crossed. The only reason the Warriors would consider moving him is if they feel that those lines will get crossed again.
In the unlikely event they do decide to part ways with the 10-year-veteran, there are several teams that make a lot of sense for him. It should be noted that Green has a 15 percent trade bonus worth $3.9 million if traded before the start of the regular season, and will prorate down to $1.3 million if moved at the trade deadline.
Potential trade destinations
Atlanta Hawks
(AP Photo/Tony Dejak)
Ideally, the Warriors would probably want a player who can replace Green in their rotation and can help them keep playing at a championship level. John Collins might be as good a player as they could possibly get and his name has been in trade rumors for a while now. Collins is locked in for the next four seasons and still has room to grow, which could make this swap a win for the Warriors given Green’s age and contractual uncertainty. Still, a small ball lineup featuring Trae Young, Dejounte Murray, Bogdan Bogdanovic, DeAndre Hunter, and Green could be dangerous.
Denver Nuggets
Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
The Warriors probably wouldn’t be fond of the idea of letting the Nuggets pair Green with Nikola Jokic. However, Aaron Gordon is another solid younger replacement for Green who could fit in nicely with the Warriors system. Gordon already fits in extremely well with the Nuggets and still has room to grow, which could make them decline such a swap if offered. Still, adding Green could raise their title odds for at least this season and the next.
Dallas Mavericks
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Dallas is a situation where Green could thrive. Luka Doncic is one of the league’s best on-ball players that Green could possibly team up and could have a strong two-man game with. He would also elevate Dallas’ already strong defensive foundation. The Mavericks can trade up to two first-round picks, but it’s possible the Warriors would also require players like Dorian Finney-Smith and Reggie Bullock to deepen their rotation. That may not be worthwhile to Dallas since the point of acquiring Green would be to create a strong small ball lineup featuring those players.
Portland Trail Blazers
AP Photo/Amanda Loman
Like Dallas, Portland is another team that could use Green’s defense and he would similarly complement Damian Lillard. The Blazers have been bottom dwellers in defense ever since their run to the Conference Finals in 2019 and Green could potentially help get them closer to the middle of the pack. A frontcourt featuring Green and Jerami Grant would bring much-needed versatility, though the Warriors would likely demand him in a trade.
Cleveland Cavaliers
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There’s a pathway for the Cavaliers to open up around $25 million in cap space if they don’t extend veterans like Caris LeVert and Kevin Love, and salary dump Isaac Okoro, Cedi Osman, and Ricky Rubio. This could put them in a position to sign Green in 2023 free agency should he opt out. This Cavaliers team is familiar with playing unconventional lineups, and the potential two small guards, three big lineup wouldn’t be out of the ordinary for them. They may be better off pursuing him in free agency since the Warriors could require a player like Jarrett Allen in a trade for Green now.
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