The entire NBA world waited in anticipation for what the Milwaukee Bucks would do with Giannis Antetokounmpo. The two-time MVP was by far the most prized possession on the trade market. Of course, the Bucks decided to hold off on making a franchise-altering decision. Regardless, the possibility of a Giannis trade had plenty of players shook, including Warriors veteran, Draymond Green.
Advertisement
A plethora of teams had submitted their names for the Antetokounmpo sweepstakes, and featuring prominently among them was the Golden State Warriors. General manager Mike Dunleavy understands their championship window is closing by the second with an ageing core led by Stephen Curry.
The Warriors have to make a change if they want to return to contention and a deal for Antetokounmpo could have do the trick. The only issue is the pieces Golden State would have to give up. Most likely, the heart and soul of the team, Draymond Green, would be on the way out.
Green is extremely loyal to the Warriors, and they are to him. They would never blindside him with a trade out of the blue. Although the rumors of Giannis potentially coming to the Warriors seem outlandish, Green reveals they were most certainly true.
“[Mike Dunleavy told me] if we were to do a deal with Giannis, you or Jimmy would have to be in a trade just to make it work,” Green revealed on The Draymond Green Show.
Dunleavy was incredibly transparent with Green, reassuring him that the team wasn’t actively shopping the four-time NBA champion. Nonetheless, Green pre-programmed his mind to think the worst.
“But what it said to me in that moment was, ‘Okay, there’s a chance I may get traded for Giannis.’ He didn’t rule it out. So I took that as, ‘It’ll probably be me,'” Green said.
Green has been in the league for 14 years. He knows exactly how cutthroat the business side of the game can be. As a result, he didn’t hesitate on having come uncomfortable conversations with his family regarding the possibility of a worst case situation.
“I spoke to my wife. I spoke to my son in particular, just because his situation could change drastically,” Green revealed. The former Defensive Player of the Year even contemplated taking matters into his own hands.
“If I’m not staying in Milwaukee, where am I going? Is my family coming?” he pondered.
Of course, Green no longer has to worry about those things since the Warriors didn’t land Antetokounmpo. However, there’s a possibility a trade could happen in the offseason.
If that’s the case, Green’s world could be flipped upside down. For the time being though his focus won’t be on what-ifs but on doing what he can to will the Warriors back on the right track.
