Top Three Landing Spots For Draymond Green
After a very disappointing end to the 2022-23 season, there could be some big changes coming to the Golden State Warriors. After coming off of an NBA title in the 2021-22 season, many believed that the Warriors would be able to make a similar run in this year’s playoffs. However, after almost every player on the roster outside of Stephen Curry failed to show up in the second round, they would be eliminated in five games by the Los Angeles Lakers.
One of the players with the weakest performances on the team in the postseason was Draymond Green. In the postseason, he averaged 9.4 points, 6.9 rebounds, 6.8 assists, 1.5 steals, and 1.0 block per game while shooting a measly 46.2% from the field and 25.0% from three.
This capped off what was a very rough season for Green. Before the season even began, he was in the headlines for punching and knocking out teammate Jordan Poole in a team practice. Since that event, things have appeared to be dicey at best between the two.
With the NBA being a league in which team chemistry means so much and Green set to hit free agency this offseason, there is a chance that Green could be playing for a different team in the 2023-24 season. Despite his unique skill set, there are a few very solid landing spots where Green can continue to contribute for a contender.
1. Los Angeles Lakers
One of the most interesting potential landing spots for Green this offseason is the Los Angeles Lakers. Green has not made it a secret by any means that he is an enormous fan of LeBron James. Despite the battles that they had in the NBA Finals during James’s time in Cleveland, and Green even receiving a suspension for taking a swing at James, Green is still an enormous fan of The King.
Allegedly, Green even requested to leave the Warriors in the middle of a road trip to go and watch LeBron break the league’s scoring record. As a result of all of this, there is a chance that he would take a massive pay cut to play alongside James. With the Lakers so pressed for cap space, if they could get Green for a veteran minimum or mid-level exception deal, they would likely be more than happy to sign him.
Last season after the trade deadline, the Lakers were one of the top defensive teams in the league. While Green would not contribute much on the offensive end and would not help things in terms of spacing the floor, he would be a key piece on the defensive end.
2. Miami Heat
Another team that would be a great fit for Green is the Miami Heat. This season, the Heat have gone on a magical run through the postseason, where they became the first team to win a series as a play-in team, and the second 8th seed in the history of the NBA to make the NBA Finals.
Despite this, there are still a lot of improvements that Miami can make to their roster. If Green would be willing to take a pay cut to join the Heat, he would be the perfect addition to the team. He is the epitome of “Heat culture” and would fully embrace being a member of the team. He and Jimmy Butler would hound opposing players on the defensive end, and playing against Miami with Green on the roster would be a psychological battle for any team.
With the Heat being such a disciplined and regimented team, there is a strong chance that Green would be forced into cutting down on his habit of picking up technical fouls. While he would be an odd fit in the Heat’s starting rotation, he would be a very solid piece for them to bring off of the bench.
3. Golden State Warriors
The final landing spot for Green this offseason is the Golden State Warriors. While it was made clear last season that this current Warriors roster is incapable of making another final run, this may not bother Green. Staying with the Warriors for one more season makes the most financial sense for him. Green currently has a player option that he could pick up worth $27.6 million.
It is very hard to believe that he will receive an offer that comes close to this from any other team in the league. As a result, it may make the most sense for Green to run it back with Curry and Thompson for one more season before breaking up the most successful trio of this generation.
