Draymond Green shares candid response to Warriors’ NBA trade rumors – NBC Sports Bay Area & California
Just like the rest of us, Draymond Green sees and hears the chatter ahead of the NBA trade deadline.
And after the Warriors (18-22) dropped to 12th place in the Western Conference following a miserable 116-107 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday, Green knows he can’t really be upset at what people are saying, acknowledging Golden State is “not a very good team right now.”
“I also know, in regard to the Dubs, there’s been a lot of trade rumors,” Green said on a new episode of “The Draymond Green Show,” which was released Tuesday. “I know my name has came up, I know everyone’s name has came up except for Steph Curry. My name has not come up in trade rumors too often. … And to be honest, I have not thought about it one bit.
“I dont make much of it at all. Rumors are just that: They are rumors. I know we’ve been linked to Pascal Siakam, I hear all the same things that all you guys hear. That is the gift and the curse of social media.”
Aside from the Toronto Raptors All-Star forward, the Warriors have been tied to various other trade rumors, mostly involving their own players and who they’d be willing to send away in a package deal.
Some of those names have included Chris Paul, Jonathan Kuminga, Andrew Wiggins and — more recently — Green and Klay Thompson. One report even indicated the Warriors have an “everyone but Steph Curry” mindset with the Feb. 8 deadline looming.
Former NBA champion-turned-ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins recently made headlines for his candid suggestion to fix Golden State’s problems this season, urging it’s time for the team to move on from Green and Thompson and trade both of them.
Green recognizes that his name has been thrown into the trade rumor mill, and he understands “that’s the business” of the league if he is traded, but he won’t sit and dwell on rumors until they’re true. And while he wouldn’t necessarily be surprised by a move being made before the deadline, whether it’s him or someone else, he pointed to Golden State’s trade deadline history as a reason why he isn’t too concerned, while also acknowledging anything is possible under new general manager Mike Dunleavy.
“So if that ever came to fruition, then you cross that bridge when you get there,” Green said. “I know everyone says, ‘The Warriors got to make a trade. They’re going to make a trade.’ If you’re 18-22, how can you question anything someone does? We’ve had the opportunity to get out there and play and prove ourselves as a team. The reality is we’ve never been a very active team at the trade deadline, I think I can count right at the top of my head guys we’ve traded for at the trade deadline. … However, we also do have a new GM, and Mike has been incredible by the way. He could work differently than Bob [Myers]. He could be more aggressive at the trade deadline than Bob was.
“I don’t know. I don’t really have a feel for it. Would I be shocked if something was to change or if some trades happen? No. I wouldn’t be shocked. We’re 18-22 with the highest payroll in the league. [Warriors owner] Joe Lacob has a business to run as an owner. Mike has a business to run as general manager. Do I think I’ll be traded? No, I hope not. But if any of those things happen, that’s a part of the business that we chose to be a part of.”
Curry hinted at change being needed in order for the Warriors to flip the script on a puzzling season. Green doesn’t know what that change looks like, but agrees one is necessary. But also like the rest of us, Green and Curry don’t have the final say.
Dunleavy and Co. will have several important decisions to make if there is any hope of salvaging the season, and the clock is ticking.
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