The Golden State Warriors has built its dynasty on moments that feel frozen in time. Some are banners, some are Game 7s, and some never happened at all. For Draymond Green, one of those missing moments still lingers – the chance to share the floor with LeBron James.
When LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant stood together in Paris after Team USA‘s win over Serbia, it felt like basketball history crystallized.
Green watched from the outside, sidelined after a turbulent NBA season, and couldn’t help but imagine what it would’ve meant to be part of that group. There is only one all-time great he’s never played alongside, and it’s the one from Akron.
In a recent interview with the New York Post, Green opened up about how his relationship with James has evolved and why that curiosity hasn’t faded.
“I think him and Steph shared the want to take the court together, and they got the opportunity to do that in the Olympics in Paris,” Green said.
“I’ve always wanted the opportunity. Just to experience it, to see how he thinks… what I could do to help him and his thinking. Or what can I learn and pick up about what he’s thinking.”
That possibility nearly materialized a few years ago. Green acknowledged that he explored the idea of convincing James – through Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul – to consider a move to Golden State Warriors.
At the time, however, LeBron had no interest in leaving Los Angeles. Now, with both players entering uncertain phases of their careers, Green doesn’t sound optimistic that the dream pairing will ever happen.
James is heading into the final year of his Los Angeles Lakers contract and is set to become an unrestricted free agent next summer.
Meanwhile, Green‘s own future with the Warriors is suddenly less secure than it’s been at any point in his 14-year run with the franchise.
Green linked to Bucks amid trade rumors
While Green is pondering what could’ve been with LeBron, league chatter has shifted toward what might be next for him.
The Golden State Warriors were among the teams that quickly checked in after Shams Charania reported that the Milwaukee Bucks are open to discussing Giannis Antetokounmpo trades.
By all accounts, Golden State Warriors has been aggressive. But acquiring a player of Antetokounmpo‘s caliber comes with a cost – and likely the end of a foundational era.
Jimmy Butler‘s name initially surfaced as a potential trade chip after he suffered a season-ending ACL injury.
Internally, though, Golden State Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. has indicated the organization plans to stand by Butler during his lengthy rehab. That stance significantly narrows Golden State Warriors‘ options.
According to The Athletic, that reality hasn’t been lost on Green: “To that point, league sources say Green and his camp are well aware that the prospect of him being sent to Milwaukee is very real,” the report stated.
“If Butler isn’t in the proposed deal – based on the economics and league rules – then Green is.”
Any realistic package for Giannis would likely center on Green and Jonathan Kuminga.
The Golden State Warriors have been open to moving Kuminga since he formally requested a trade last month, and Green‘s contract is essential to matching Antetokounmpo‘s $54 million salary.
Such a move would close the book on one of the NBA’s most successful player-franchise partnerships. Green has been inseparable from the Golden State Warriors‘ identity, helping deliver four championships and redefining modern defense along the way.
But the Warriors‘ priority remains clear: stay competitive while Curry is still elite. If that means sacrificing a pillar of the dynasty to chase another title window, it’s a decision the organization appears increasingly willing to make.
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