4x All-Star Draymond Green has some beef with an ex-teammate. As he explained on his podcast on Wednesday, it all began with the arrival of Kevin Durant.
The signing of the multiple-time All-Star led to a mass exodus of key players in 2016 that included Harrison Barnes, who was traded to Dallas that summer in an effort to make room for no. 35.
Apparently, Draymond’s role in bringing Durant to the team, and ending Barnes’ tenure with the organization, is something Barnes still holds against him today.
(via the Draymond Green Show)
“Harrison Barnes, I think to this day don’t like me for KD coming here. And the reality is, I didn’t tell [Warriors GM Bob Myers] to trade you to bring KD in… He took it very personally because of that story that came out that I cried to KD in the car. He took it very personally at me. This dude invites [sic] Steph, Klay, everybody to his wedding except me…I didn’t take it personally ’cause it is what it is…It sucks that you got traded by you went and made your money.”
Draymond’s recruitment of Durant is well documented in the NBA community. After losing the 2016 Finals to LeBron James and the Cavs, Green is rumored to have called Durant in the parking lot to get him to join the team.
Just moments after that devastating Game 7 defeat, with his car in park and sitting in the Oracle Arena lot, (no doubt fueled with angry rage and boiling emotions) Draymond Green made two calls that would change NBA basketball forever.
The first went to Warriors GM Bob Myers, where Green told him to make a run at signing then free agent, Kevin Durant. The second call went to Durantula himself. 2 weeks later, Durant signed a max contract that would make the Warriors a dynasty for years to come.
While the accuracy of those reports has since been called into question, it might have been convincing enough for Barnes to blame Draymond for his trade from Golden State.
After achieving such great success with the Warriors, Barnes hasn’t had nearly as much luck since his departure. He went on to the Mavericks and is now on a Kings team that is known for making terrible decisions.
Still, the man signed an $85 million deal in 2019. If he blames Draymond for his split from the Warriors, he has got to give him some credit for the numbers of his current salary… right?
