Getty Draymond Green with Klay Thompson and Steph Curry.
The Golden State Warriors put together one of the most impressive runs in NBA history from 2014 to 2019 when they went to the Finals in five straight seasons, winning three championships. At the center of the dynasty were Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green. The three remain together but things haven’t been as easy for the Warriors. Injuries have derailed the last two seasons and it’s fair to question if the team can ever regain the magic.
Curry, Green and Thompson are all in their 30s now and could eventually be broken up as Golden State figures out how to get back in contention. Green is the most likely candidate to be moved. In fact, some insiders believe that the Los Angeles Lakers could be in his future. He’s a Klutch Sports client and has a close relationship with LeBron James. On the “HoopsHype” podcast on November 3, Michael Scotto and The Athletic’s Anthony Slater discussed how much longer Green could be with the Warriors.
“Once Draymond started going on The Shop more with LeBron James, I think some people wondered if the Lakers would trade for him,” Scotto said. “It would feel weird if Steph, Draymond and Klay weren’t on the same team together. It would almost feel sacrilege.”
“I think Steph will be. Klay is locked in,” Slater replied. “You’ve got to see how he looks coming off the Achilles and ACL injuries. Draymond has two years left. Like you said, he’s had some flirtations with the Lakers and even the Blazers a bit.”
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Would Lakers Make a Move for Green?
GettyLeBron James with Draymond Green.
Right now, Green isn’t going anywhere. With Thompson nearing a return from injury, the Warriors will try to see if they can recapture some magic. If not and the team has a disappointing season, it could be time to shake things up in a major way.
The Lakers make some sense for Green. The team has more than enough offense but is struggling on the defensive side of the court. Green is still one of the best defenders in the NBA. Pairing with Anthony Davis would give the Lakers the best defensive duo in the league. However, Los Angeles doesn’t have much that would appeal to the Warriors. Also, Green is set to make over $25 million next season. Trying to fit in that salary would be next to impossible for the Lakers. Perhaps he would’ve been a fit before the Russell Westbrook trade but it’s highly unlikely now given the current circumstances.
Warriors & Lakers Could Be Top Western Conference Teams
It’s been a month into the season and the Warriors have been one of the NBA’s hottest teams. They sit in second place in the Western Conference with a 5-1 record, including an opening night win over the Lakers. Los Angeles is third in the standings with a 5-3 record and the two teams figure to be battling for one of the top spots in the West as the season goes on.
The Warriors don’t even have Thompson back yet and will get a big boost when he’s on the court. The Utah Jazz are at the top of the Western Conference standings right now but nobody will fully buy into them until they prove they can win in the playoffs. At the end of the year, the Lakers and Warriors could be the two teams battling to represent the West in the NBA Finals.
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