Getty Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors and LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers.
It’s safe to say that this season has been a disappointing one for the Golden State Warriors. But despite their struggles this year, just a few months after winning a championship, they also have to be concerned about the upcoming offseason.
Draymond Green is widely expected to decline his player option, and it seems as though he could consider ditching the Warriors. And according to sources who spoke with Sean Deveney of Heavy Sports, Green’s obsession with Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James could spearhead his potential exit.
“I mean, Draymond has been on LeBron’s (private regions) all year, so that tells you something about what he wanted to have happen,” an otherwise politely-spoken league source told Deveney. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”
For the past few years, Green and James have developed a very close friendship. James attended Green’s wedding, and the two players have been seen chatting on and off the court on multiple occasions, much to the dismay of Warriors fans.
This isn’t the first time this connection has been made, either. Other sources who talked to Deveney had a similar take on their relationship back in October of 2022.
“The Lakers don’t have anything real they can give back to the Warriors in any kind of trade,” a Western Conference executive told Deveney. “You’d have to build it around, what, Patrick Beverley and Lonnie Walker? Or Kendrick Nunn? So, the only thing the Lakers could get to Golden State that might be worth it is the two picks they have — send out all those guys plus the picks in 2027 and 2029. They like Draymond, LeBron wants Draymond, Draymond has been following LeBron around like a puppy dog these last couple of years. But I can’t see them giving up those two picks for him, not at his age and not with him being a free agent next summer anyway.”
Draymond Green Praises LeBron James
The Warriors star has given people plenty of opportunities to discuss his relationship with James, as he’s unafraid to praise the superstar. During a January edition of his podcast, The Draymond Green Show, Green stated that James is the best face of the NBA in the history of the league.
“I take my hat off to LeBron,” Green said. “For what he’s done, for what he’s doing, on and off the court, there’s never been a better face of the NBA, and I’m not sure there ever will be a better face of the NBA.”
‘Pretty Strong’ Chance Draymond Green Leaves Warriors
Combine Green’s relationship with James and sources telling Deveney that there is a “pretty strong” chance Green will leave Golden State, and the thought of him ending up in a Lakers jersey next season becomes all the more real.
“Pretty strong,” a Western Conference executive said in December when discussing the chance that Green leaves the Warriors. “If they win a championship again this year, there will be pressure to keep things together, but the stuff with the punch [on Jordan Poole] in the preseason, that probably put the nail in it. There was already a good chance he would go just because his production is not what it was and he is getting older [32]. It would be hard to justify paying him $20-something-million a year.”