Usually, by now, NBA teams avoid any major changes as they prepare to start a fresh NBA season. At this point in the year, trading and switching too many players can come with some serious damage to the team’s chemistry.
Still, amid this ongoing crisis in Golden State, one has to imagine that the Warriors are at least considering the possibility of a deal. With trust in Draymond Green at an all-time low, how can the franchise remove forward with him as a focal point?
So, with Green seemingly on the trade block, The Ring’s Bill Simmons proposed one mega-deal that could change everything. He also explained why trading Draymond is more likely now than it has ever been before.
Bill Simmons Reveals Why The Warriors Might Consider Trading Draymond Green
On Zach Lowe’s podcast this week, he proposed a trade that would send Russell Westbrook to the Pacers, defensive big man Myles Turner to the Warriors, and Draymond Green to the Lakers to join LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
“He played on the ‘Jail Blazers,’ he played on a bunch of different [internally acrimonious] [Chicago] Bulls teams, he’s been through it in ’19 with Durant,” Simmons said about Warriors head coach Steve Kerr. “By all accounts everyone says the final 2018-19 season with Durant was a really really profoundly unhappy season. I don’t think they wanna go through that again. That’s why I do think a trade isn’t inconceivable.”
We went into some more detail about the deal in our article earlier this week, but Simmons may have really been on to something there.
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
In Indiana, Westbrook wouldn’t be competing for a title, but he’d have the next best thing: freedom to be himself. With practically nothing to play for, the Pacers might allow him to do whatever he wants on the floor. Or they might end up buying out his contract entirely. Either way, the Pacers have long been linked to Westbrook and they remain the most likely landing spot if he is moved at some point before February’s deadline.
Meanwhile, for the Warriors, Myles Turner would be a great replacement for Draymond. As a big, strong body, he’s the perfect rim protector and is someone who can help the Warriors finally address some of the flaws they’ve had for years.
Of course, as the biggest winners in this, the Lakers would get to pair Draymond Green with LeBron and AD. Together, they could form a powerful defensive trio and re-take their place as elites in the West.
For now, though, the Lakers can do nothing but sit and wait for the situation in Golden State to play out. And when it finally does, it will have some big implications for the Lakers and the rest of the NBA.
