Draymond Green isn't worried about whether the Warriors will trade him prior to NBA's trade deadline on Feb. 8th. Yet, if Golden State did decide to ship him off somewhere in the coming weeks, Green would understand why.
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On Green's "The Draymond Green Show" episode this week, the polarizing Golden State forward explained why it would make sense for Warriors GM Mike Dunleavy Jr. to try and unload some of his 18-22 team's current crop of superstars.
"If that [trade] ever came to fruition, you deal with that, you cross that bridge when you get there," Green said. "It's not really something that I worry about ... I mean, 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."
Green continued from there, saying, "We've never really been an active team at the trade deadline. However, we also have a new GM... He could be different to [Warriors Former GM] Bob [Myers], he could be more aggressive at the trade deadline. I don't know, I don't really have a feel for it.
"Would be I shocked if some trades happen? No. We are 18-22, and if I'm not mistaken... we have top two, three highest payrolls in the league. So how can you sit and complain?"
Draymond Green discusses recent @warriors trade rumors.#NBA #DubNation pic.twitter.com/WFtroHvFVD
— Bag Labs (@BagLabs) January 17, 2024
Despite Green — who recently returned from a 12-game suspension — claiming that he hasn't put too much thought into potentially being traded away from Golden State after spending the first 12 seasons of his NBA career there, his logical points during the podcast are rather well-thought-out.
Green was correct in saying that the Warriors had the highest payroll in the NBA this season; as their $211,820,254 payroll this season is some $9 million more than the Los Angeles Clippers, who own the second-highest payroll.
Given that the Warriors surely won't be trading Steph Curry (who has a $51.9 million salary this season), that would leave players like the Green ($22.3 million), Klay Thompson ($43.2 million), Chris Paul ($30.8 million), and Andrew Wiggins ($24.3 million) — all of whom are either injured or are underperforming this season, relative to their giant contract — as the most likely guys Golden State would try to trade.
While it remains to be seen which (if any) of these players will end up being traded by the Warriors, the team's persistent struggles this season make it tough to imagine their current roster can make a playoff push.
