As the Golden State Warriors continue reshaping their roster following the Feb. 5 trade deadline, owner Joe Lacob is pushing back on reports that franchise cornerstone Draymond Green was floated in trade discussions for Giannis Antetokounmpo.
The Warriors made headlines by acquiring Kristaps Porzingis at the deadline, but speculation swirled that they were also exploring a blockbuster move for the Milwaukee Bucks superstar.
Reports suggested Green’s name had surfaced in talks due to his salary fitting a potential deal structure.
However, general manager Mike Dunleavy publicly denied that Green was offered, and Lacob doubled down on that stance.
Draymond ‘was never discussed in a trade’
“Mike was 100% correct what he said,” Lacob told The San Francisco Standard.
“But the truth is, the way these things are, you don’t just easily banter around names unless you’re getting serious. We never really got engagement on some of the big deals to the point where you get into specific names. People can look at the roster, and they can make assumptions about who might or might not have to go if you’ve got a certain person.”
Lacob was even more direct when addressing Green’s status within the organization.
“He’s a core person in our franchise. You don’t trade a Draymond Green simply or easily,” Lacob said. “You do it if you have to, and you’re getting tremendous value, and you’re improving your team. Even Draymond has said he understands that. You have to look at these things. But his name was never specifically discussed with another team. And that’s the truth.”
Green has been a foundational piece of the Warriors’ dynasty alongside Stephen Curry, anchoring the defense and serving as the team’s emotional leader. While his contract would have made salary matching easier in a potential Antetokounmpo deal, Lacob’s comments suggest Golden State never seriously reached that stage of negotiations.
The trade chatter came at a challenging time for the Warriors, who are attempting to stay competitive despite Jimmy Butler suffering a season-ending injury and Curry continuing to miss time.
Green unfazed by trade rumors
Prior to the deadline, Green addressed the speculation himself, making it clear he wasn’t losing sleep over the possibility of being moved.
“I’ve been here for 14 years. I have no reason to worry about leaving. But if I’m transferred, it’s part of the business,” Green said. “However, as I said, it doesn’t keep me up at night. I slept wonderfully last night.”
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