After the Golden State Warriors lost to the Memphis Grizzlies in the playoff game, there has been a whirlwind of reactions around the league. Most people lamented the fact that Stephen Curry wasn’t in the playoffs. The attention turned to Draymond Green, who didn’t necessarily have the best game but still notched a triple-double.
It has always been rumored that the Portland Trail Blazers want Draymond Green on their roster. He is an elite defender, and his ability to facilitate would be useful for Damian Lillard like it has been for Stephen Curry.
Respectfully 🤝🤣 https://t.co/ssLK2CsDvv
— CJ McCollum (@CJMcCollum) May 22, 2021
It seems as though at least one member of the Trail Blazers wouldn’t mind seeing Draymond Green in a Portland Trail Blazers jersey. However, based on his value to the Golden State Warriors franchise specifically, it would be hard to get him to Portland. However, if they were to attempt to trade for him, here is what it would look like.
Portland Trail Blazers Receive: Portland Trail Blazers
Golden State Warriors Receive: Norman Powell (sign and trade), Robert Covington, Anfernee Simmons, two first-round picks, a second-round pick
Golden State Warriors Go All-In On Small-Ball
Even with this offer, it would be hard to pry away Draymond Green from the Golden State Warriors. However, this is a solid enough package to consider moving him for Golden State. Norman Powell is a great shot-creator and a great perimeter defender. He could provide supplementary scoring whether he starts or is a bench presence, and his shooting and off-ball movement would be great in Steve Kerr’s system.
The Golden State Warriors have often run Green at the center position to close games. While there isn’t quite a player that does what he does, Robert Covington has had experience running small-ball with the Houston Rockets in the James Harden era. Covington is a good defender, and he provides more spacing than Green does, opening up the floor for the potential slashers on this team such as Jordan Poole and Andrew Wiggins. Andrew Wiggins is also an amazing defensive player, and he could surely run as a small-ball power forward in this situation.
Anfernee Simons and the pick are valuable assets for the future. It would remain to be seen whether the Warriors would choose to keep Simons or move on from him, but he would be a valuable talent nonetheless. Overall, this is a solid package for a player who is a great defensive mind and a DPOY candidate.
Portland Trail Blazers Gain A DPOY Talent
When Draymond Green is fully engaged, he is one of the biggest winners in the game. He is a DPOY caliber player, and can often wreak havoc on a team’s offense by himself. Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum have faced him in the playoffs before, and they know how deadly he is with how he dominated the game during their matchup in 2018-19. Perhaps on the Portland Trail Blazers, he’d be able to play with an elite team that just needs somebody with championship experience.
The Portland Trail Blazers offense can often get stagnant with a lot of difficult shots being taken by Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum. If Draymond Green was on the roster, he’d be able to make life easier for them with his playmaking. He would also be able to anchor their defense. There is no doubt that he would be an insanely good fit on the Trail Blazers, and perhaps he could make them into a contender. Draymond Green does all the little things to help a team succeed, and the Trail Blazers could use a player that has his skillset.
