Getty Draymond Green, LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers have been linked with a potential move for Draymond Green over the past few months, although those rumors seem to have cooled at this point.
However, suppose Rob Pelinka and the Lakers’ front office wanted to get an idea of what it’s like to have the outspoken forward on their roster. In that case, all they have to do is ask Juan Toscano-Anderson, who spent three seasons with the four-time NBA Champion whilst playing for the Golden State Warriors.
“I just think it was more like why fight with you? We could fight together. … And that’s when I was on my two-way year, the year I got the contract. I mean, it was me and him out there. He was the five, I was the four, and it was rocking. It was a lot of fun. I had a lot of fun playing alongside him. He’s going to have your back; he’s going to talk s–t. I’m going to talk s–t, I’m going to have his back, and I think that’s why we hit it off is because we’re two peas in a pod, man. We’re very similar,” Toscano-Anderson said during a December 21 guest appearance on the Buckets podcast.
During Toscano-Anderson’s three seasons with the Warriors, he averaged 4.8 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game while shooting 52.3% from the field and 36.1% from three-point range.
Draymond Green Makes Sense For The Lakers
On October 28, Heavy on Sports NBA Insider Sean Deveney spoke with a Western Conference Executive under the condition of anonymity; during their discussion, the executive shared their thoughts on why the Lakers make sense as a potential landing spot for Green.
Just watch Draymond Green this whole play
“The Lakers — everyone knows he is hanging on LeBron’s (anatomy) these days. It is kind of weird. But it is obvious he wants to play there, and if they pay him, that is where he is going…Maybe he would take a lesser price to play there because being in L.A. would help him after his career. That’s the most likely thing if he leaves the Warriors, though, and it seems like the path is laid now for him to leave,” The executive said.
While Green clearly makes sense as a potential upgrade for the Lakers, his advancing years and inability to consistently convert his perimeter shots mean he would be further compounding the team’s problems rather than helping fix them. As such, it’s highly unlikely we see Green join the Lakers in the near future.
Draymond Green Speaks Out On Lakers Rumors
During a December 2 interview with Marc Spears of Andscape, Green addressed the rumors surrounding him and the Lakers and noted how he had never hinted at a desire to be traded away from the Warriors.
“I never said that. People can say what they want. I’m also not really one to react much to what one may say. I react to things when I want to react to it. I don’t react to things just because somebody said it,” @Money23Green on interest in #Lakers rumors.
“I never said that. People can say what they want. I’m also not really one to react much to what one may say. I react to things when I want to react to it. I don’t react to things just because somebody said it,” Green said.
Currently unclear if Green plans to opt-in to the player option on his contract for next season or if he’s planning on hitting unrestricted free agency, either way, the Lakers need to get younger and more dynamic, so steering clear of adding Green is probably in their best interests.
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