The Golden State Warriors aren’t considering trading Draymond Green amid what has been a rather inconsistent 3-5 start to their season.
At the time of writing, it was reported that the franchise wasn’t looking at any trade talks regarding their biggest defensive presence.
Green’s trade news has been a topic of discussion throughout the offseason, and the chatter became louder after news of him punching teammate Jordan Poole went viral.
Per ESPN’s Zach Lowe, Golden State has reportedly “not engaged in any trade talks centered on Green and don’t plan to as of now.”
From the contract standpoint, the Warriors and Green have quite the deal. The veteran can opt out of his contract at the end of the ongoing season. Unlike Stephen Curry, he may not necessarily be the player who inks a supermax.
It should be noted that Green isn’t an offense-churning machine, and his shots from downtown (30%) will eventually see a decline as he ages. While he’s pretty much crucial on their defensive front, it remains to be seen how the contract talks pan out.
What Happens If Draymond Green Opts In?
Should Draymond Green opt-in, the Warriors will be looking at a mammoth luxury tax bill, and will only get more expensive if he opts out and takes a higher salary. Note that the 32-year-old remains under contract for this season on a $25.8 million pay and has a $27.6 million player option next year.
While there is no denying that Golden State will be evaluating multiple scenarios, trading him over the course of the season might not necessarily happen.
Not to mention, Green’s a leader in the locker room, and a team that has won championships with a player doesn’t always trade a superstar unless the situation absolutely demands it.
At the moment, the unit is struggling, having lost three games in a row. They lost to the Charlotte Hornets and later to the Detroit Pistons and the Miami Heat. Green may have started in all the games but has averaged 9.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 5.4 assists in eight skirmishes so far.
On the game front, the Warriors and Green have a shot to get back to winning ways as they take on a bottom-placed Orlando Magic in an away fixture. The latter has won just one of their eight games, and Golden State can get closer to the .500 mark if they bag a win.
