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Draymond Green #23 of the Golden State Warriors during the first half of the NBA game at Mortgage Matchup Center on December 18, 2025 in Phoenix, Arizona.
The Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green knows his time with the organization is running out. Whether it ends before Thursday’s trade deadline remains uncertain, but the 35-year-old veteran conducted a heartfelt press conference Tuesday night that made clear he understands the reality of his situation.
Green, who has been the subject of trade speculation as the Warriors continue pursuing Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo, acknowledged there was at least a possibility that Tuesday’s 113-94 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers could be the last time he ever wears a Warriors jersey.
“I don’t know that it ends at 13 and a half but if it does what a f—— run it’s been,” Green said after the game. “I’ll take the fine for it. What a f—— run it’s been. So that’s just how I feel … I’m blessed. I’m lucky. Grateful. My family has not had to move anywhere since I started my family. That’s incredible. I don’t take that for granted.”
It was raw and emotional. Green has spent his entire career with Golden State, and the possibility of leaving clearly hit him harder than he expected.
Anthony Slater
Draymond Green on possibility that was his last game with the Warriors: “If it ends, what a f****** run it has been.”
He said he would not be “upset” if they trade him “if that’s what’s best for this organization.”
When It Became Real for Green
Draymond Green #23 of the Golden State Warriors
GettyDraymond Green #23 of the Golden State Warriors.
Green was matter-of-fact about being part of ongoing trade talks for the first time in his career. He continued insisting the speculation isn’t a distraction, but he acknowledged everybody around him wants to know how he’s feeling about it.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr spoke to Green about the ongoing trade conversations Monday. Green said that’s when the possibility of getting moved actually became real to him.
“He’s like ‘How’s (your wife) Hazel handling it?'” Green said. “And that’s when it got real to me. I was like ‘I haven’t spoke to her about it’. It’s not something we’ve spoke about. That’s when it got real to me. So today on the way to the game I spoke to my son about it. And I was like, ‘Yo, what if I get traded?’ He’s like, ‘Well, why would they trade you?’ I was like, ‘It’s just the business.’ I have never been traded but it can happen to anybody. And he’s like, ‘Oh, I just don’t understand why they would do that’.”
The conversation with his son revealed how unprecedented this situation is for Green. Golden State has been his home since 2012. Four championships came during that time. Never before has he had to explain to his family why the Warriors might move him.
In a league where players get moved constantly, Green is appreciative of only playing for one team his entire career. He’s poured everything he has into the organization and carries the same kind of pride as longtime teammates Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson.
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“That’s when it got real for me.”
Draymond Green details his conversation with Steve Kerr about the possibility of being traded
No Bitterness Toward the Warriors
Draymond Green, Klay Thompson, and Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors.
GettyDraymond Green, Klay Thompson, and Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors.
Green said he’s spoken to the front office in recent days, though he noted it was “probably not quite the conversation y’all think it was.” The speculation about his name being mentioned in trade talks doesn’t upset him. Understanding the business side of basketball, he accepts this is part of the process.
“I think a lot of people want to know how I feel about it,” Green said. “Like, am I upset about it? I’m not at all. If that’s what’s best for this organization, that’s what’s best for the organization. I’m not ‘Oh man, they f—– me over’ or something like that. I don’t really feel that way.”
Green was reflective on a night when palpable tension filled the Warriors’ locker room about the idea that the group could look dramatically different by Thursday night. Kerr noted before the game that this deadline has a different feel than in the past, and that the speculation “puts guys on edge, for sure.”
The uneasiness has carried over, mixing with the sadness still felt after Jimmy Butler tore his ACL on January 19 in a win over the Miami Heat.
“This has definitely been a more difficult (trade deadline) than most,” Kerr said.
Green’s Gratitude for 13 Years in Golden State
Despite the lingering tension, Green reiterated he holds no ill will toward the organization as it decides what move to make next. Looking back, he still can’t believe he’s been able to stay with the Warriors for as long as he has.
“If you would have told me 13 1/2 years ago like, ‘Yo, I’mma hand you this sheet of paper and you can sign it to be in a place for 13 and a half years, would you sign it?'” Green said. “And I would have signed it faster than you can blink. So what do I have to sit and worry about? What do I have to be upset about? I’ve been here for 13 1/2 years. That’s longer than probably 98 percent of the NBA players have been in one place.”
The Business Reality
Green’s $27.6 million contract for next season makes him a logical salary-matching piece in a potential Antetokounmpo trade. The Warriors need to send out significant salary to acquire Giannis, and Green’s deal is more trade-friendly than Butler’s $56.8 million next season given that Butler is recovering from a torn ACL.
ESPN’s Anthony Slater reported that Green is actively involved in trade discussions as the Warriors try to reshape their roster. Whether Golden State actually pulls the trigger on moving him before Thursday’s deadline depends on if Milwaukee becomes serious about dealing Antetokounmpo.
Green is averaging 8.4 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 5.2 assists in 26 minutes per game this season. His playing time is the lowest since his rookie year. His production has declined as his role has shifted, but he remains valuable as a defensive anchor and emotional leader.
Kerr admitted the situation represents unfamiliar territory.
“This is probably the first time, I would say, since I’ve been here, that his name has ever really been mentioned in trade talks,” Kerr said.
Kerr and Curry have long hoped Green would retire a Warrior. But the final decision sits with owner Joe Lacob and general manager Mike Dunleavy. If landing Antetokounmpo requires trading Green, the Warriors will make that move.
All Good Things Must End
draymond green steph curry klay thompson
GettyDraymond Green with Klay Thompson and Steph Curry.
Green said he’s taking the approach that “all good things must come to an end at some point.” There was a realness in his words. He admitted he was much closer to the end of his career than he’s previously acknowledged publicly.
Green still has a player option for next season worth almost $28 million. He seems likely to pick it up given the ups and downs he’s endured this season. No matter what he decides to do, Tuesday offered a reminder. He can’t stay with the Warriors forever.
Green would like to close his career in the same place. But there’s a chance his time with the team he helped win four NBA titles for will be over very soon.
“At some point it’s going to come to an end,” Green said. “Whether that’s a day or two, or a year or two, it’s going to come to an end at some point. You got to be OK with that. It’s not something that I can hold onto forever, because I can’t play basketball forever. So it’s got to come to an end at some point anyway.”
Final Word on the Warriors
Green’s press conference was one of the more emotional moments of this trade deadline cycle. He didn’t deflect or hide behind platitudes. Acknowledging the reality of his situation with honesty and grace, he showed the maturity that comes from 13 years with one organization.
The Warriors drafted Green in 2012. He became the defensive anchor, emotional leader, and strategic heartbeat of a franchise that won four championships. His ability to guard all five positions, facilitate offense, and control tempo helped define Golden State’s identity through their dynasty years.
But dynasties don’t last forever. Thompson left for the Dallas Mavericks in free agency two years ago. If Green gets moved, Curry would be the lone remaining member of that championship core still in Golden State.
The next 48 hours will determine whether Green’s run with the Warriors ends after 13 and a half years or whether he gets more time in the uniform he’s worn his entire career. Either way, his comments Tuesday night provided a glimpse into how he’s processing the possibility of leaving the only NBA home he’s ever known.
Green is taking the fine for his language. Taking ownership of his legacy and his gratitude for what the Warriors have given him shows a perspective that’s rare in professional sports. That maturity explains why he’ll always be remembered as one of the greatest players in franchise history regardless of when or how his time in Golden State ends.