SAN FRANCISCO– This has been a difficult trade deadline for everyone on the Golden State Warriors, not named Stephen Curry.
With the possibility of obtaining superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo on the table, and the Warriors' warchest offer on the Milwaukee Bucks' table, the Golden State locker room waits in purgatory for the potential blockbuster move that could shake up the entire roster.
And for the first time in his storied career, Warriors' Draymond Green is among those on the trading block waiting with bated breath for what may be on the horizon. According to ESPN's Warriors insider Anthony Slater, Golden State has involved Green in active trade conversations ahead of the February 5th trade deadline, primarily in a framework around obtaining Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Ahead of Golden State's final game before the highly anticipated Thursday deadline, coach Steve Kerr acknowledged the difficulties of this particular trade deadline, especially for a player who's accomplished as much as Green has with this organization.
“I talked to him a little bit about it yesterday,” Kerr said. “I just try to get a feel for what's out there, what's happening. If I need to just step in and say something or talk to a guy, I'll do that.
And this is probably the first time I would say, since I've been here, that his name has ever been really mentioned in trade talk. So it's different, but it's also part of the league. It's part of almost every player's journey in this league, just being mentioned. But it is the first time for him, so it's a little different.”
Why is Draymond Green on the trading block?
While there was speculation that the Warriors could construct a deal around Jimmy Butler, who's lost for the season, and his $54.1 million salary for Antetokounmpo, The Athletic's Nick Friedell reported that the Dubs have given Butler the indication that they don't plan on dealing him.
Connecting the dots– if the Warriors are going to make a big deadline acquisition like Antetokounmpo, they would have to use Green's contract alongside other additional salary to make a deal possible.
And according to ClutchPoints' NBA insider Brett Siegel, the Bucks prefer Green as an asset over Butler due to the size of his contract and the potential to trade him for additional assets to contending teams. One executive told Siegel that Green could potentially command a first-round pick in the chaotic aftermath of a Warriors-Bucks-Antetokounmpo deal.
As things stand now, the Warriors have delivered their Green-centric package to the Bucks, with their package centered around unprotected firsts that stretch deep into the post-Curry era. But they remain at the mercy of Milwaukee as the team continues to evaluate rival packages. And until that's resolved, Green sits in an unfamiliar limbo.
Sure, there's always the possibility that the trade deadline comes and goes, and Green remains on the team. But it makes for a terse atmosphere surrounding the team, no matter how much they all acknowledge the elephant in the room.
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Where Draymond Green is at right now
On the surface, Green appears to be handling this situation with tepid concern. After Friday's loss to the Detroit Pistons, Green spoke candidly about his future in the Bay Area.
“I've been here for 14 years. I have no reason to sit and worry about leaving,” Green said. “But if I'm traded, that's part of the business. I ain't losing no sleep, though. I slept great last night.”
Still, Kerr mentioned that while what he and Green tell the media may be along the lines of nobody's losing sleep, it's still a strange place to be in– in limbo waiting for two teams to decide your fate.
“That's what we all tell you, that we [don't] lose sleep. We all lose sleep over this,” Kerr said. “It's a weird profession, you know, a very transient nature to it alland so it's something every coach has to sort of manage and navigate with his players.”
With all of that in mind, it makes for a difficult deadline for Kerr, Green, and the rest of the Warriors as they look to extend their window by potentially sacrificing a player who was critical in helping them win four championships.
“This has definitely been a more difficult one than most,” Kerr acknowledged. “Last year's [deadline] was very difficult as well. We had a lot of years where nobody was really overly concerned about anything. But these last two years, there's been a lot of chatter. And it puts guys on edge, for sure.”
Golden State will wait and see what happens with Green as the trade deadline ticks closer and closer.