A trade probably wouldn’t cost a whole lot either
If the Warriors do decide to move on from Green, the Phoenix Suns could make a run at and attempt to trade for the power forward, a concept that because of a number of extraneous circumstances might not be all that difficult – or expensive – to pull off.
While I have no idea what the market might demand of Green just yet, one would have to suppose that his dwindling scoring numbers and shooting in general, as well as his disgruntled attitude as the self-proclaimed Head Master of the Warriors’ locker room, coupled with the front office’s potential necessity to dump off Green as quickly as possible as a sign of good faith to Durant might make the move of the power forward a much cheaper endeavor than one might think.
Truthfully, potentially think of the Suns trading of Marcus Morris to the Detroit Pistons, only the Warriors will sign who they want to sign.
The Warriors too are on the verge of moving into a grand new Arena in San Francisco, and most certainly want to guarantee that those who buy their exorbitantly priced tickets will still be able to watch a team that is as great then as they are now.
If Durant leaves the team, even with a potentially renewed Draymond, Golden State will undoubtedly take a step back.
Phoenix Suns
Will they be championship-caliber? Without a doubt. But it would still behoove the Warriors’ front office to think of who the best players are to helping maintain their dynastic direction, and relieve themselves of those who just might not be helping them win as many championships in the future as others are primed to be able to do.
Of course one could say this about a great number of player’s around the league, but Draymond would be a perfect addition to the Suns’ roster, a solid all-around player who with the help of a strong point guard would finally make the Phoenix offense hum like it hasn’t since the days of Steve Nash.
Draymond, with his boisterous attitude, is a championship-winning player, a multi-time All-Star (3), multi-time All-NBA (2), multi-time All-Defensive (4), and former Defensive Player of the Year (2016-17) to boot. He would be the kind of leader that former General Manager Ryan McDonough claimed he was attempting to acquire throughout his entire tenure but never could, the kind of veteran leader both by voice and example who might actually turn the head’s of the younger players and get their attention, instructing them on how to win games and playoff series’ in the NBA.
Of course his defense would be a huge boost to the Suns as they do not currently have any strong one-on-one defenders, and such an addition would most certainly help Josh Jackson, who many hope will one day be a tough two-way player, as Jackson can slide down to cover the opponent’s second best player with Draymond generally covering the primary.
Draymond’s emotional nature could hopefully too be harnessed for good as one would imagine that he would love to play against – and defeat – the team who chose another over him. If the Warriors were to trade Green to a team in their own Division, then Draymond might have some of his best games of the season against Golden State, if nothing else, helping to keep games that would probably still weigh heavily in the Warriors’ favor, at least a little more competitive.