The Golden State Warriors are once again forced to play without their defensive anchor and vocal leader due to Draymond Green’s indefinite suspension. This season, Green has already served two suspensions; the most recent does not have a set expiration date.
This has led some to believe that the Warriors may be tired of Green constantly being a distraction. For this reason, Bleacher Report’s Andy Bailey compiled five hypothetical trades that would send Green out of Golden State, one of which would send him to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Jaxson Hayes and Rui Hachimura.
“For Golden State, this is another move that provides a little financial flexibility,” Bailey stated. “Hachimura’s contract expires a year early, and he earns less than Green. For the upcoming season, Jaxson Hayes has a $2.5 million player option.”
Bailey also offered some basketball logic, saying that Hayes would provide Golden State with some much-needed bulk while Hachimura would help them spread the floor. While both of those statements are accurate, Green’s contribution to the Warriors has probably beyond anything Hayes and Hachimura could offer.
It’s also crucial to remember that, despite this most recent incident, Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy publicly stated that the team is committed to Green.
Dunleavy stated, “We’re committed to him,” regarding Green. “He is very important to this group, has been here for a long time, and has hung a lot of banners. As previously mentioned, I believe that this may be turned into a good and improved. Therefore, I believe that if that occurs, we will be really happy, as his play has been excellent. All that has been lacking is his availability, which we would like to change.”
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