The Golden State Warriors have been in the news cycle due to the recent physical altercation between Draymond Green and Jordan Poole. There is no doubt that it is a tough situation for the team, and the video of the incident clearly shows that Draymond Green’s actions were unacceptable.
There have been some suggestions that Draymond Green is open to leaving the Golden State Warriors as well. Some, such as Atlanta Hawks star Trae Young suggested that this incident happened because he wants to go to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Draymond is tryna get to LA.
Damn ! 😳
— Trae Young (@TheTraeYoung) October 7, 2022
Perhaps the Golden State Warriors could deal with this situation by trading Draymond Green, and sending him to the Los Angeles Lakers. That could be the easiest way to solve this situation. Recently, NBA analyst Bill Simmons suggested a potential three-team trade that would let them do that. We have modified Simmons’ trade slightly to give the Warriors a more fair return.
Indy gets 2027/2029 1sts from LA.
GSW saves tens of millions in 2023 luxury tax.
The trade machine approves! Call it in!!!!
(I’m on 7 days of bronchitis medication sorry) pic.twitter.com/QjypcTc085
— Bill Simmons (@BillSimmons) October 6, 2022
Los Angeles Lakers Receive: Draymond Green, Buddy Hield
Golden State Warriors Receive: Myles Turner, 2026 First-Round Pick (IND)
Indiana Pacers Receive: Russell Westbrook, 2027 First-Round Pick (LAL), 2029 First-Round Pick (LAL)
This trade would definitely be a good proposition for all three teams and helps each franchise fulfill its goals. Here is our breakdown of why each team would end up doing the trade.
The Los Angeles Lakers Would Get A Defensive Star And An Experienced Veteran Shooter
This trade would feature Draymond Green getting moved to the Los Angeles Lakers, and receiving the opportunity to play next to his close friend, LeBron James. His defensive-heavy playstyle would likely make him a good fit in Darvin Ham’s system, and the defensive duo of Draymond Green and Anthony Davis could potentially give the Los Angeles Lakers the best defense in the league. The Los Angeles Lakers would also get an elite 3PT shooter in Buddy Hield, who would drastically improve their spacing on the floor.
To get the two veteran players, the Los Angeles Lakers would have to move Russell Westbrook’s contract, alongside their tradeable 2027 and 2029 first-round picks. The draft compensation and Westbrook would be moved to the Indiana Pacers into their salary space, thus allowing the Lakers to get Draymond Green and Buddy Hield.
This trade would likely make the Los Angeles Lakers one of the best teams in the Western Conference, and they would have a solid rotation that has a combination of shooting and defense. That is a good formula to ensure that Anthony Davis and LeBron James can succeed and have support on both ends of the floor. Adding Draymond Green and Buddy Hield should be a no-brainer for the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Golden State Warriors Get A Defensive Center And Draft Compensation
Obviously, if the incident between Draymond Green and Jordan Poole didn’t happen, then the Golden State Warriors would likely want to retain Draymond Green. However, it makes sense to move him right now, prior to his contract potentially expiring this summer if he declines his player option.
In this scenario, the Golden State Warriors would be sending Draymond Green to the Los Angeles Lakers, and getting an elite defensive player in Myles Turner in return, alongside one first-round pick from the Indiana Pacers. This is a solid return. Myles Turner is an elite rim protector, and can also stretch the floor and shoot from beyond the arc. He would give the Golden State Warriors a defensive anchor to replace Draymond Green. The first-round pick could potentially be good in the future as well, and if it isn’t, the Golden State Warriors still find some talent toward the end of the first round.
Trading Draymond Green could potentially force the Golden State Warriors to change some aspects of their system, as Draymond Green is currently a huge part of what they do on both ends of the floor. However, they would be getting a younger defensive player with this move, and Myles Turner is definitely a player that can contribute to a championship run. This deal could be worth it for them if they don’t want to deal with Draymond Green’s situation on an internal level.
Indiana Pacers Get Valuable Picks For Their Rebuild
The Indiana Pacers have obviously been rebuilding, notably trading a good number of their veterans to start a rebuilding process over the course of the last season. They do still have some solid veterans on the roster, such as Myles Turner and Buddy Hield. In this scenario, they would be sending away both players to acquire two first-round picks from the Los Angeles Lakers, as well as taking on Russell Westbrook’s expiring contract.
The one catch with this trade scenario is that the Indiana Pacers will have to send out one of their own picks to get this deal done. The Los Angeles Lakers would likely be willing to move both of their picks to the Pacers to get both Draymond Green and Buddy Hield. However, the Warriors might not accept trading Draymond Green for just Myles Turner, so the Pacers would have to throw in their 2026 first-round pick to entice the Warriors to do this deal. The 2026 first-round pick is 4 years down the line, meaning that the Indiana Pacers should be a solid playoff team by then. Getting two valuable picks but having to send out one lower-value pick is not bad for the Indiana Pacers.
Both the picks that the Indiana Pacers would receive would definitely be good in the future and could help them draft some elite players to make them a more competitive team. They could also be traded later down the line. Overall, this is a good deal for the Indiana Pacers that could potentially help them drastically in the future.
This Is A Win-Win-Win Trade For All Three Teams
This trade could be a move that benefits all teams. The Los Angeles Lakers would get two veterans that would help them contend immediately while LeBron James and Anthony Davis are still playing at a high level. On top of that, Draymond Green would get to go to one of his desired destinations.
For the Golden State Warriors, this trade is about being able to send Draymond Green away to avoid any potential chemistry issues on the roster between him and Jordan Poole, while also getting an elite defensive center in return. Obviously, there is a chance they will try to deal with it internally, but this scenario obviously assumes that they want to move him.
The Indiana Pacers would get some highly valuable picks from the Los Angeles Lakers, while also moving along with their rebuild. Russell Westbrook likely won’t play for the franchise.
It remains to be seen if a deal with a similar framework will end up happening in the future. However, it certainly has benefits for all three teams and is one of the few win-win-win three-team trades.
