During the 2018-19 NBA season, the discord between Golden State Warriors forwards, Draymond Green and Kevin Durant, became public. Many felt that the franchise would have to choose between the two athletes. And they did! While KD left the team during the 2019 offseason, Green continued to be part of the Dubs’ core. Should the Warriors have shipped off Green while retaining their 2x Finals MVP? Gilbert Arenas believes so.
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In fact, as per the 3x All-Star, if the Warriors kept KD instead of their decade-plus defensive ace, they could have three more chips compared to just one after his departure.
While discussing Klay Thompson’s trade out of the Warriors, the Gil’s Arena crew looked back at what could have been if Durant stayed. As Kenyon Martin turned the attention to the Green-Durant conflict, Arenas expressed,
“Having KD would have kept the chances of winning championships very very high. You move Draymond Green out and you keep KD, and it’s been KD, Klay and Steph this whole time, two more or maybe three dependin’ on what others pieces they put around.”
Kenyon Martin: “When the whole thing went down with Draymond [Green] & [Kevin Durant]. You think they made the wrong decision then?”
Gilbert Arenas: “If you move [him] out & you keep KD… They have two more, maybe even three [championships]… So yes.” 👀pic.twitter.com/PYbXg3Bl4c
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) July 2, 2024
Terming Durant as irreplaceable, Arenas acknowledged Green’s unique contributions but for him, Durant’s impact would have superseded the defensive forward’s skill set. In the longer run, the team could have also found a way to keep Klay till the end of his career. But what led to the conflict between KD and Green?
The clash of egos
In November 2018, in a tussle between the Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Clippers, the game was tied with less than five seconds left. After clasping a rebound, Green unwisely chose to take it upon himself to get a game-winner. He ran into the Clippers’ defensive wall and fluffed the possession. On the other hand, KD, who wanted the chance for a potential game-winning shot, was left high-and-dry. Ultimately, the Dubs lost in overtime.
During the team huddle, When KD called out Green for not passing him the ball, the 2017 Defensive Player of the Year famously yelled, “We don’t need you, we can win without you”. This was not an isolated incident and minor arguments became commonplace between the two.
Thus, it was speculated that the Warriors would have to amend the situation by getting rid of either KD or Dray. Ultimately, Durant left and Green signed a four-year, $100 million extension. In retrospect, while Durant remains without a ring after his departure, Green and Co. did win a championship in 2022.
But as Arenas posited, they could have won more. It brings up a major question. Are the Warriors sacrificing too much for Draymond Green? Let us see if the four-year extension would be worth it when it is all said and done.
