Golden State would never trade Draymond Green… but what if they did?

7 teams that could make a run at Draymond if the end is truly here for this version of the Warriors dynasty

Draymond Green is the heart and soul of the Golden State Warriors dynasty. He’s a Defensive Player of the Year and the assist leader on the most unstoppable offense in NBA history. He is a fiery and passionate team leader.

He’s also a major problem.

Green cost the Warriors their dream season when he snapped at the worst time, punching LeBron in the King’s jewels and getting suspended, ultimately leading to the end of their 73-win season. His newest antics have him at the center of controversy again. A few choice words with Kevin Durant led to a Draymond suspension and more, and Green now appears to be wondering where he fits on Golden State’s totem pole. Durant’s free agency looms, and at this point the Warriors have to be wondering if this is the beginning of the end.

But would they really consider trading Draymond Green?

After all, the Warriors don’t really need Draymond to win this year’s title, do they? Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, and Durant could get the job done on their own, and don’t forget Boogie Cousins waiting in the wings. If Golden State prefers KD to Draymond long-term — and it sure looks like they do — maybe it’s time to cut bait. The defense won’t be the same but could make do with the usual replacement centers, and it might be time to save the locker room and get something for a guy who may have reached his expiration date before a looming contract extension. Green has become a problem on offense, too. He’s hitting just 24% of his threes this year and it’s starting to feel like the Warriors are playing 4-on-5 on offense. Maybe Golden State wouldn’t make trade calls, but surely they’d at least answer the phone.

Draymond’s value is greatest on defense, the perfect guy to build a modern switching defense around. He’s super valuable in the locker room — the right locker room. There’s also real value to Draymond’s contract. Green is a max-level player on the right team but he makes only $17.5 million this year and $18.5 million next. The length of that deal (almost two full years remaining) and remarkably reasonable price tag make him a real value to the right team.

But finding that right team, well that’s the tricky part. Green’s value is obviously at its peak right now. You trade for Draymond because you think he’s the final piece that can put your franchise over the top. A lottery team has little use for Green. He won’t fit many offenses, a defense good enough for Green to help probably isn’t in the lottery, and adding Draymond to a losing locker room smells like a recipe for disaster.

The truth is it’s the contending teams that would most benefit by adding Draymond, and that’s because there’s one other hidden benefit to trading for Green — getting him off the Warriors. Maybe Golden State would be fine without him, but what if they’re not? What if the locker room never heals and the defense just can’t stop anyone? A contender adds Draymond and takes a key player away from the massive title favorites. That’s an undeniably huge swing. Maybe even enough of one for a big time contender to take a chance.

Oddsmakers have teams like the Nets, Bulls, and Kings among the favorites to land Draymond in a hypothetical trade, and though he’s much less dangerous there to Golden State, they’d mostly be vanquishing him for little return since his value is so much lower to those teams. But if you take a look around the league, there are seven teams out there who just might trade for Draymond. Is there an offer out there that makes sense?

LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS

Draymond for Tobias Harris and Luc Mbah a Moute (Dec 15)

If you’re wondering why the Clippers are betting favorites to land Green, you probably forgot about Jerry West. We can’t count out West from reuniting with the guy he witnessed at the heart of the Warriors turnaround during his time there. The Clippers aren’t ready to contend, but Draymond is just the type of player this team is building around. Maybe he’s the first domino for West to bring another star or two to L.A. The Ws add a scoring threat in Harris and use LRMAM as a jackknife defender, but both are on expiring deals, and Golden State doesn’t have the money to re-sign Tobias or the Bird rights to keep Mbah a Moute. There’s probably more risk than upside for both teams.

The Clippers may be the betting favorite, and they certainly have a number of useful pieces on cheap short-term deals, but it’s hard to see the pieces adding up to a deal that works for Golden State’s title window.

MILWAUKEE BUCKS

Draymond for Khris Middleton and Thon Maker

One interesting thing about a Draymond deal is that Golden State wouldn’t necessarily need to trade him for a center since, you know, they still have Boogie. Good luck trying to defend a lineup of Steph, Klay, Middleton, KD, and Boogie. But that’s a lot of faith in Boogie and the rotation bigs (even if we already know Thon is only good in the playoffs). And this deal goes against everything Milwaukee is doing well right now. Maybe Brook Lopez won’t work in the playoffs and the Bucks will need a defender like Draymond, but it feels too early to pull the plug on the Milwaukee thing this soon.

TORONTO RAPTORS

Draymond and Livingston for Serge Ibaka and Fred VanVleet Draymond and Livingston for Ibaka, OG Anunoby, and Delon Wright Draymond for Danny Green, Pascal Siakim, and Malachi Richardson

None of these deals actually work for any number of cap reasons, but they’re fun to consider. It says a lot about how good the Raptors are that Toronto fans read these and thought they’d never trade away OG or Siakim. Raps fans might actually riot if they traded Danny and Siakim for Draymond. Still, imagine a defensive lineup of Delon, OG, Kawhi, Draymond, and Ibaka out there… just filthy. Alas, we’ll have to settle for the current version of the Raptors which is already pretty darn good.

MIAMI HEAT

Draymond and Damian Jones for Josh Richardson, Wayne Ellington, and Bam Adebayo Draymond and Livingston for James Johnson, Ellington, and Adebayo

Pat Riley is never afraid to gamble, and while the Heat aren’t ready to contend, Miami’s only way to add a star is by conglomerating its assets. The problem is the first of these offers is too rich and the second isn’t enough. Richardson’s added 20ppg-scoring and a 44% three to his All-Defense on a cheap contract. He was too valuable to trade for Jimmy Butler, so maybe he’s too rich a price for Draymond too.

The Heat love Adebayo and would be reticent to give him up, as lovely a fit as he’d be as a Warriors big. Perhaps they’d part with him, Ellington’s shooting, and Johnson. Bloodsport is one of a few players in the league as versatile as Draymond on defense. He’s older and can’t match the minutes load but maybe he could hold down the fort while Adebayo develops? It doesn’t feel like enough for the Warriors, though Miami would surely love to try.

One side note: much fun as Justise Winslow might be to picture with the Warriors, his newly-minted rookie extension makes him too hard to deal under the poison pill provision. There isn’t a trade fit with him.

BOSTON CELTICS

Draymond and Livingston for Al Horford

Are the Celtics still the East favorites? Because it would be pretty unlikely for the two Finals favorites to swap All Stars six months before they might face off with everything on the line. Still, you have to admit this one is interesting.

The playoffs just reminded us how important Horford is to the Celtics, but you trade a bit of shooting and scoring in for an even better defender. Just how good a defense could Brad Stevens build with Draymond at the focal point? It could be downright scary, and Boston has more than enough offense elsewhere without Horford, plus Green is just as good a facilitator. And as an added bonus, Boston could get off Livingston’s salary easily enough and end up saving around $10 million in cap room next summer with a Kyrie extension coming. Oh right, there’s that. Could Kyrie and Draymond coexist? Trust in President Brad.

Horford would be a pretty seamless fit with the Warriors. He’s not quite as versatile as Draymond defensively, but few players are and he can match about 85% of what Green does on that end. On offense, he fits the role to a T and can actually hit all those open shots. The Warriors might be even better with Horford than with Draymond. They’ve never had a center that can pull the defense out and hit the open shot. Would Boston really be willing to risk that possibility? Maybe — since they’d have Draymond to guard it.

LOS ANGELES LAKERS

Draymond for Josh Hart, Kyle Kuzma, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope

Would LeBron recruit Draymond? It seems unlikely, but so did Rondo and Lance. Draymond isn’t enough to help the Lakers contend, but he might be that third star and glue guy if L.A. can lure one of the other big names this summer. Green is a max player on the right team but making far less than the max for another season and two-thirds, so his lower cap number gives the Lakers options and a chance to lure Kawhi, Jimmy, Klay, or another star.

Would the Lakers be willing to give up both young players? It’s a steep price, but it’s also two role players for a Defensive Player of the Year. If L.A. really thinks a third star is coming and could do this deal without giving up Ingram, they’d have to say yes.

Would the Warriors do it? That’s more questionable, considering they’d be trading away the heart and soul of their team and not getting anything close to a star in return. Hart and Kuzma would be brilliant role players next to the Ws stars, and their cheap price tags could extend Golden State’s window. KCP adds some wing depth for the year or a nice salary to flip in another deadline deal (though he has Bird rights to reject this or any subsequent offer).

If the Warriors are sure KD and Klay would stay, adding dirt cheap rotation guys in Hart and Kuzma to those two, Steph, and Iggy plus the usual center rotation leaves the Ws as championship favorites for years to come… unless of course Draymond is the chip LeBron needs to knock them off their pedestal. Would they risk it?

HOUSTON ROCKETS

Draymond for Eric Gordon and P.J. Tucker

Think back to last year’s Rockets, who came oh so close to knocking off the Warriors. Houston had Golden State on the brink but couldn’t finish the job. The Rockets couldn’t keep Clint Capela on the court but instead went with small-ball lineups and ran with the Ws. They kept up on offense, but at the worst time, the defense cratered. Now imagine Draymond Green switching sides. Would that have been the final missing piece?

Houston defensive coaching specialist Jeff Bzdelik is back, and that means so is the Rockets switch-everything defense. Draymond Green practically invented the switch-everything defense. Put him out there and the Rockets might actually be good on D, plus the usual CP3 and Harden D’Antoni offensive goodness. The Rockets would start Draymond with those two, Capela, and James Ennis, but it’s the small-ball lineup with Draymond at center that really gets fun. Houston needs another 3-and-D wing — a Trevor Ariza buyout comes to mind — but the Rockets trading for Draymond could steal the Death Lineup right out from under Steve Kerr’s nose.

Would Golden State consider it?

It’s tough to find a much better fit on their side. P.J. Tucker is about the best approximation of Draymond they’ll get, and Eric Gordon adds the bench scorer they’ve been missing the last few seasons and gives them a new offensive twist in crunch time. Steph, Klay, Gordon, KD, and Tucker would be impossible to defend, and Gordon and Tucker are both on reasonable contracts that could extend the Warriors window.

That is unless, of course, the window ends this year… when they lose to the Rockets death lineup featuring Harden, CP3, and a vengeful Draymond Green.

The Warriors would never trade Draymond Green… but what if they did?

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