Draymond Green did not have his best season as a member of the Golden State Warriors. Rather, it was extremely disappointing. The former All-Star power forward had a very rough start to the year by punching Jordan Poole in the face during a practice session and the video was “magically” leaked. Since that day, the Warriors were not able to recover and the team struggled to re-discover their championship play. Golden State finished 44-38 in the West which was good for 6th in the Western Conference, and the team ended up losing in the second round of the playoffs after a hectic 7-game series against the Sacramento Kings.
Russell Westbrook And The Clippers Have Mutual Interest InA New DealRead More
Draymond did not have his best season, as he showed signs of decline by averaging 8.5 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 6.8 APG, 1.0 SPG, and 0.8 BPG on only 30.5% shooting from three and 71.3% from the stripe. In the playoffs, the former Defensive Player of the Year winner only posted 9.4 PPG, 6.9 RPG, and 6.8 APG on only 25.0% shooting from deep. Quite frankly, other than Stephen Curry, no other Warriors player played well so the target should not be on Green. However, the Warriors have a decision to make because Green will likely decline his player option to seek a longer-term deal. It seems Golden State wants to retain Green according to sources but it has to work for both sides.
However, if Green declines his player option and can’t reach a deal with the Golden State Warriors, there will be suitors out there for the four-time All-Star. In fact, there might be five major destinations for Draymond because each side could use a veteran player that can still defend, provide leadership, and also act as a primary playmaker in the half-court offense. Without further ado, here are the five best destinations for Draymond Green this summer.
5. Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers have a legitimate superstar in Damian Lillard. He averaged 32.2 PPG on 37.1% shooting from the deep this season, and no player strikes fear in opponents’ hearts in the clutch like him. Quite frankly, the Trail Blazers go as Damian Lillard goes. Lillard’s performances will dictate the outcome of Portland’s season and adding a player like Draymond Green will boost Portland’s shoddy defense. Not to mention, the franchise player in Portland is obsessed with the idea of bringing Draymond Green on board to help out the team.
The Trail Blazers have some decent players with the likes of Jusuf Nurkic, Jerami Grant, and Anfernee Simons backing up Lillard but they lack defense. Draymond Green is one of the greatest defensive power forwards in NBA history and he can also be a playmaker as well. As long as Portland have a player like Lillard on the team, they will score a ton of points. So adding Draymond Green to pair with Dame creates a solid duo that will thrive together, especially when the point guard can just focus on scoring the ball. In a sign-and-trade deal that could feature two-way forward Jerami Grant and big man Jusuf Nurkic, Portland can bring in a four-time NBA champion to start gaining relevancy in the Western Conference.
4. Detroit Pistons
Out of all the teams most likely to acquire Draymond Green, the Detroit Pistons stand out most. The Pistons are an intriguing team in the Eastern Conference because they have a former No. 1 overall pick in Cade Cunningham in the ranks who is coming into his own as an excellent all-around player alongside youngsters Killian Hayes and Jaden Ivey. Perhaps most importantly, Green seems to be interested in the Detroit Pistons as a franchise. Heavy’s Sean Deveney stated clearly how Green is very fond of the Pistons franchise and the franchise seems prepared to make a splash in the NBA and make up the Pistons’ intriguing core for the future.
It’s possible that Green can help them advance as a non-tanking team in the East, but it’s too soon to determine whether the player would consider leaving the Warriors for a team that is in clear rebuilding mode. However, Green might want a different challenge while also playing for a franchise that the player is particularly fond of. That challenge could come in leading a pack of youngsters to a higher level and potentially into the playoffs. Due to the fact that the Pistons will likely throw money at Draymond for the sake of bringing in a veteran player, the player will gladly accept a deal that makes his pockets fat.
3. Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets failed to win the Victor Wembanyama sweepstakes and that means they will need to revisit their future. Outside of Victor and Scoot Henderson, there probably isn’t a draft choice the Rockets view highly to not dangle in trade talks. Specifically, it seems Houston wants to start winning immediately and that is shown by the decision to bring Ime Udoka on board after firing the inexperienced Stephen Silas. Udoka is a no-nonsense coach that made the NBA Finals last year, and he needs a veteran presence to teach the youngsters how to compete on both ends of the court and not settle for losing games anymore.
Udoka would absolutely love Draymond Green, a player who hustles hard on both ends and wants to win games at all costs. Of course, Houston wants a player to teach Jalen Green, Kevin Porter Jr, Jabari Smith Jr., and Alperen Sengun how to win games because they are getting too comfortable having a losing record. Their excellent cap space situation means they can also start potentially building a playoff contender and that could mean offering Draymond the most money in the free-agent market. With Green settling in at the forward spot, the Rockets can get back to relevancy slowly.
2. Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks made a massive splash to trade for All-Star Kyrie Irving this year but they should continue trying to build a superteam with Luke Doncic at the helm. Adding Draymond Green to the frontcourt would make Dallas particularly scary because the Mavericks would have one of the best trios in the NBA alongside superstars Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. Luka and Kyrie are both not known for their defense, and they could use some help in that sense. Surrounding the scorers with a tough-minded defender and vocal leader could do wonders for the Mavericks’ future, as they can start building an identity beyond being a one-man team. Considering Luka is only 24 years old, he could sure use some championship experience around him after making the Western Conference Finals last year. Draymond won’t be needed to score a lot of points, but he will be useful when it comes to playing defense and even acting as a playmaker.
Dallas is onto something with Luka and Kyrie proving to be almost untouchable pieces, but they also have a ton of dead weight. Tim Hardaway Jr is making over $16 million a season until the 2025 season and so is Davis Bertans (player option in 2025). It is likely Dallas will trade both Hardaway and Bertans while throwing in Kleber. They will have plenty of room to sign Green to a max deal to form one of the top-3 seeds in the Western Conference consistently. Doncic and Irving are two of the best offensive players in the game, and Draymond’s presence can take them to the next level. Draymond won’t mind playing with a contender as well, especially if it means teaming up with another top-5 player in the game.
1. Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers need help if they want to become the perennial title contenders that they were in the 2019-20 NBA season. Perhaps most of all, they need experienced veterans because they only have LeBron James and Anthony Davis to lead the rest of the relatively inexperienced squad. The Lakers finished in a play-in spot and still ended up in the Western Conference Finals and nobody could have foreseen such improved play in the second part of the year. No doubt, as one of the most versatile defenders of all time, Green would be a massive addition to a title-contending Lakers team.
How would a team with LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Draymond Green fare on the court? Very impressively. Green and Davis would be very difficult to score on, even if the former is aging and the latter is often injured. With LeBron pulling the strings alongside two All-Star players and benefitting from more leadership presence, Los Angeles would start scaring teams once again. Obviously, the Lakers cannot simply add Draymond Green because LeBron and Davis are making max money already. But they can get creative, making everyone tradeable including D’Angelo Russell, Lonnie Walker, and perhaps Rui Hachimura. A player of Draymond’s caliber and standing would fit well in Hollywood especially since Green is perhaps LeBron James’ biggest fan right now.
Source: https:/fadeawayworld.net
