The <a href="https://news.thesportsdrop.com/nba/nba-top-3-possible-targets-for-warriors-to-bolster-roster-20230529-SPD-3660.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Golden State Warriors</a> will do everything in their power to re-sign <a href="https://news.thesportsdrop.com/nba/nba-top-3-most-likely-destinations-for-chris-paul-in-case-of-suns-exit-20230607-SPD-3679.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Draymond Green</a>. Without him, they have almost little chance of winning the NBA title this season.



It is anticipated that Green will return to the Bay Area. He may return to the franchise that drafted him after signing a three- or four-year contract for $100 million to $120 million.



But suppose that isn’t the situation. He is a free agent with several suitors and may choose to sign with anybody he pleases. In light of this, we will discuss three potential stops should he decide to leave the Warriors.



<h2>3. Portland Trail Blazers</h2>



The Portland Trail Blazers are making every effort to surround star point guard Damian Lillard with equally talented teammates. They need a tough interior defender, and his exceptional playmaking skills might propel him to the next level.



The Warriors might benefit from a sign-and-trade involving Green, who would provide the Blazers with two seasoned players and some valuable assets in exchange.



<h2>2. Los Angeles Lakers</h2>



Never count out the Los Angeles Lakers, as they will never stop trying to sign the best players in the league. In a similar vein, a sign-and-trade would be necessary to finalize the transaction.



What the Lakers might give the Warriors beyond that first-round selection or D’Angelo Russell, who has already struggled in the Bay Area, is uncertain. Green is represented by the same agency as LeBron James and Anthony Davis, thus his prospects are high.



<h2>1. Miami Heat</h2>



It has been said that Pat Riley is putting in extra hours in his pursuit of a new superstar. The Miami Heat have previously come close to winning an NBA title too many times and need one more player to finally break through.



They’re watching Damian Lillard, but if they don’t land him, they could go after Draymond Green, a tough leader who would mesh well with their current roster and Jimmy Butler.

NBA: Top 3 most likely destinations for Draymond Green in case of Warriors exit - thesportsdrops NEWS

NBA: Top 3 most likely destinations for Draymond Green in case of Warriors exit

miniaturas

The NBA is full of unexpected twists and turns. Even <a href="https://news.thesportsdrop.com/nba/nba-top-3-most-likely-destinations-for-giannis-antetokounmpo-in-case-of-bucks-exit-20230510-SPD-3629.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Draymond Green</a>, who has alluded to leaving the <a href="https://news.thesportsdrop.com/nba/top-3-greatest-2023-nba-mvp-award-snubs-20230503-SPD-3616.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Golden State Warriors</a> in the past, may be traded at any time.



Since Green assumed the starting PF role for the Warriors, he has been an integral component of the team’s historic run of success. Some others believe he’s overstayed his welcome since he’s been at the center of so many controversies.



Whatever the case may be, and despite his lack of scoring prowess, Green should get a great deal of interest from teams throughout the league. In light of this, here are three potential suitors for the reigning Defensive Player of the Year.



<h2>3. Portland Trail Blazers</h2>



The Portland Trail Blazers have a choice to make: whether to blow up the current squad and start over by trading star point guard Damian Lillard or to give the current group one more shot. If the latter is the case, then acquiring Draymond is an obvious move.



Despite rumors to the contrary, Green did not join the Portland Trail Blazers. Therefore, it appears like a good time for both parties to try to move on from one another.



<h2>2. Los Angeles Lakers</h2>



That Draymond Green, forward for the Golden State Warriors, is a huge admirer of LeBron James is common knowledge at this time. After years of supporting one other in the media, Green and James have turned their formerly heated on-court competition into a solid relationship.



In the same way that Rich Paul and Klutch Sports represent LeBron and Anthony Davis, they also represent Green. Both LeBron and the Los Angeles Lakers are notorious talent magnets. The opportunity to realize his ambitions should not be wasted.



<h2>1. Dallas Mavericks</h2>



The Dallas Mavericks will never be able to break through until they improve their defense and tenacity. Draymond Green satisfies all requirements and would be a tremendous asset to the Warriors’ playoff hopes.



Without another ball-handler—one of Green’s strengths—Luka Doncic cannot single-handedly lead this club far into the playoffs, regardless of whether Kyrie Irving is on the squad or not. With Jason Kidd at the helm, he might contribute to a winning culture.

The <a href="https://news.thesportsdrop.com/nba/top-3-players-that-might-challenge-nikola-jokic-for-2023-nba-mvp-award-20230318-SPD-3509.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NBA Draft</a> is a place where not many teams have found success. Of course, it helps to sign a superstar like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar or <a href="https://news.thesportsdrop.com/nba/how-many-records-does-lebron-james-hold-complete-list-of-the-forwards-records-in-nba-20230208-SPD-3383.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">LeBron James</a>, but that doesn’t happen every season.



Due to the subjective nature of the draft process, scouts often fail to notice important details. Several second-round choices have been more influential than first-round picks due to their intangible qualities, the system, or even the opportunity for improvement.



While the first-round choices usually attract more attention, the second-round has produced some of the league’s most successful players. In this piece, we will examine the three best players ever selected in the second round of the NBA Draft.



<h2>3. Draymond Green</h2>



In the history of the NBA, Draymond Green is regarded as one of the top second-round choices. In the 2012 NBA Draft, the Golden State Warriors selected him as the 35th overall selection. Green is a fantastic all-around player who excels both defensively and offensively. 



He has been chosen to three NBA All-Star teams, five NBA All-Defensive teams, and earned the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award in 2016–17, and his club has won three NBA titles. Due in large part to Green’s one-of-a-kind blend of skills, the Warriors have been so successful over the last decade.



<h2>2. Dennis Rodman</h2>



Throughout the history of the NBA, Dennis Rodman has stood out as one of the most original players. In the 1986 NBA Draft, he was picked 27th overall by the Detroit Pistons. Rodman’s unrelenting work ethic and exceptional defensive skills made him an integral part of the Pistons’ championship teams in the late 1980s. 



Five NBA titles later, he had also been honored seven times as a member of the league’s All-Defensive First Team. In addition to his seven NBA rebounding titles, Rodman won the award twice.



<h2>1. Nikola Jokic</h2>



Nikola Jokic is the most recent player to join the exclusive company of previous second-round choices in the NBA Draft. Denver Nuggets used the 41st selection in the 2014 NBA Draft to choose him. In a short amount of time, Jokic has established himself as a legitimate superstar and one of the league’s best big men. 



As the NBA’s lowest draft selection ever to win MVP, he made history with his 2020-21 season. Jokic’s offensive and defensive strengths stem from his ability to score, distribute, and grab rebounds.

Top 3 best players ever selected in the NBA Draft second round

Top 3 best players ever selected in the NBA Draft second round - thesportsdrops NEWS

Reports of an altercation between <a href="https://news.thesportsdrop.com/nba/warriors-guard-klay-thompson-to-skip-pre-season-games-in-japan-20221002-SPD-2879.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Golden State Warriors</a> teammates <a href="https://news.thesportsdrop.com/nba/draymond-green-takes-time-off-from-warriors-after-punching-teammate-jordan-poole-20221008-SPD-2935.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jordan Green</a> and <a href="https://news.thesportsdrop.com/nba/draymond-greens-future-with-warriors-up-in-air-after-andrew-wiggins-and-jordan-poole-extensions-20221015-SPD-2974.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Draymond Poole</a> during a training session surfaced earlier this month. An official video soon revealed the situation to be much direr than anybody outside the team had been led to believe. 



Poole, the young guard, shoved Green away when Green got in his face near the sideline, and Green retaliated with a vicious hit. And yet, Poole escaped with just minor injuries.



Nevertheless, the Warriors were thrust into a difficult scenario where they had to make quick decisions despite the severity of the event, a disparity in age, stature, team role, and contractual conflict. While Green was fined and not banned for any games during the regular season, he decided to take time off during training camp.



<h2>What Jordan Poole said of incident with Draymond Green</h2>



Now Jordan Poole has finally spoken up about getting hit in the face by Draymond Green at training camp, a scandal that has thrust the reigning NBA champions into the spotlight.



“[Draymond] apologized. [It was] professional, and we plan on handling ourselves that way. We’re here to play basketball and everybody in the locker room and on the team knows what it takes to win a championship and we’re gonna do that on the court. That’s really all I have to say on the matter. We’re here to win a championship and keep hanging banners”, he told the media on Sunday, via NBC.

"He apologized... we're here to win a championship" &#8211; Jordan Poole speaks out on Draymond Green controversy

"He apologized... we're here to win a championship" - Jordan Poole speaks out on Draymond Green controversy - thesportsdrops NEWS

"He apologized... we're here to win a championship" – Jordan Poole speaks out on Draymond Green controversy

It seems like <a href="https://news.thesportsdrop.com/nba/draymond-green-takes-time-off-from-warriors-after-punching-teammate-jordan-poole-20221008-SPD-2935.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jordan Poole</a>‘s future is with the <a href="https://news.thesportsdrop.com/nba/warriors-guard-klay-thompson-to-skip-pre-season-games-in-japan-20221002-SPD-2879.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Golden State Warriors</a>, where he’ll be donning a Warriors jersey for the coming years. ESPN‘s Adrian Wojnarowski broke the news that the Warriors and the 23-year-old have agreed to a four-year, $140 million deal extension. The new contract guarantees Poole’s future with the Warriors through the 2026-27 NBA season.



Following in the footsteps of Poole, Wojnarowski confirmed that the Warriors and <a href="https://news.thesportsdrop.com/nba/nba-news-warriors-jordan-poole-gets-real-on-his-contract-situation-20220927-SPD-2840.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Andrew Wiggins</a> have also agreed to a four-year, $109 million deal. The forward, who was about to enter the last year of his deal, will now remain in the Bay Area until 2027 as well.



Thus, it’s no secret that the Golden State Warriors have a massive payroll. Adding Poole and Wiggins’ cash into the equation casts doubt on the long-term viability of at least one of the team’s cornerstones. 



<h2>How Andrew Wiggins and Jordan Poole’s new deals affect Draymond Green</h2>



If <a href="https://news.thesportsdrop.com/nba/steph-curry-singles-out-hornets-as-only-team-he-would-play-for-other-than-warriors-2672-20220904-SPD-2672.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Draymond Green</a> does not exercise his option to remain under his current contract for another year, which is very unlikely, he will become a free agent. In March, he will be 33, and his playing days are likely numbered as per CBS. 



He may be weighed down by the impending expiration of his next contract. If Green does not impress any other teams this year, he may be forced to settle for less money from Golden State next summer.

Draymond Green's future with Warriors up in air after Andrew Wiggins and Jordan Poole extensions - thesportsdrops NEWS

Draymond Green's future with Warriors up in air after Andrew Wiggins and Jordan Poole extensions

After a violent fight with teammate <a href="https://news.thesportsdrop.com/nba/nba-news-warriors-jordan-poole-gets-real-on-his-contract-situation-20220927-SPD-2840.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jordan Poole</a> during Wednesday’s practice, it’s evident that <a href="https://news.thesportsdrop.com/nba/warriors-guard-klay-thompson-to-skip-pre-season-games-in-japan-20221002-SPD-2879.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Golden State Warriors</a> forward <a href="https://news.thesportsdrop.com/nba/steph-curry-singles-out-hornets-as-only-team-he-would-play-for-other-than-warriors-2672-20220904-SPD-2672.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Draymond Green</a> crossed the line. The 32-year-old Green is notorious among the Warriors for his fiery, passionate personality, which has resulted in multiple mid-game verbal spats with teammates that have been recorded on video. 



But on Wednesday, he went too far when things became violent, and now he has to pay the price. The forward officially apologized for hitting teammate Jordan Poole in the face on Wednesday at a news conference on Saturday afternoon. Green, who did not participate in Thursday or Friday’s team practices, apologized for his behavior, saying he “failed as a leader.”



After the event, Green also said that he would be taking some time away from the squad. On Thursday, Warriors general manager Bob Myers addressed the public about the incident, saying that disciplinary action against Green will be decided internally. Green’s choice to step away from basketball is mysterious since it’s not apparent whether he acted alone or if the team as a whole was on board with the concept.



<h2>Draymond Green on taking leave of absence</h2>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote">“I’m going to take a few days, or, I don’t know how many days. But just take some time to myself, allow our team to start their healing process, but take some time to myself, get deep in my thoughts and do things that I have to do to continue to work on me. “I’m going to continue to stay away, as I’ve been away. And, you know, continue to do work on myself, as I always like to do. But also just to give guys space. It’s a big deal. It’s not like you just kind of keep on pushing. The reality is there is no right or wrong time. … But in saying that, I do want to give my team their space, I want to give Jordan some space. But also just take a few days, or whatever that is, and just continue to work on myself and think about the things I need to think about, and really just take some time to let everything breathe.”</blockquote>

Draymond Green takes time off from Warriors after punching teammate Jordan Poole - thesportsdrops NEWS

Draymond Green takes time off from Warriors after punching teammate Jordan Poole

Everyone has their own best-ever NBA starting five. These squads are constructed using the subjective evaluations and ratings of the participants. It’s unusual for a group to be universally embraced or rejected. <a href="https://news.thesportsdrop.com/nba/nba-rumors-draymond-green-could-leave-warriors-if-no-offered-maximum-contract-extension-2393-20220728-SPD-2393.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Draymond Green</a>, a four-time NBA champion, just selected his all-time starting five, which, as expected, includes Stephen Curry.



The 32-year-old is often considered a top performer among players of his day. In addition to his four championships, Green has also been named to the All-Star team four times and was the league’s defensive MVP once. With the <a href="https://news.thesportsdrop.com/nba/bill-russells-no-6-jersey-retired-by-nba-the-last-players-to-wear-no-6-for-each-team-2510-20220812-SPD-2510.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Golden State Warriors</a>, the NBA All-Stars, and the U.S. national team, he has shared the court with some of the greatest players in NBA history.



The former Defensive Player of the Year included his Warriors colleague Stephen Curry on a recent edition of The Draymond Green Show. Likewise, LeBron James, the top player for the Los Angeles Lakers, was there. Dray’s top ten also included Shaq, Tim Duncan, and the greatest of all time, Michael Jordan. Kobe Bryant, unfortunately, didn’t make the cut.



<h2>Draymond Green’s all-time starting five</h2>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote">“My all-time starting five is Shaq at the 5 and Steph at the 1. I got LeBron James at the 3. Now, again, this is where the eras and stuff gets tricky because what era of basketball am I talking about? But I’m just going to talk basketball in the sense of who I think will make a great five. </blockquote>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote">“Steph at the 1, Shaq at the 5, LeBron at the 3, Timmy D at the 4. And did you think I was going to go anywhere other than MJ at the 2? You got to be out of your mind. Although I must say, Kobe was a very close second, a very close second for me on my starting five.”</blockquote>

No Kobe Bryant: Draymond Green of Warriors reveals his all-time starting five - thesportsdrops NEWS

No Kobe Bryant: Draymond Green of Warriors reveals his all-time starting five

The <a href="https://news.thesportsdrop.com/nba/nba-rumors-warriors-rule-out-potential-kevin-durant-trade-2322-20220722-SPD-2322.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Golden State Warriors</a> have a history of spending heavily in pursuit of championships. They have done very well considering they have had some of the most expensive lineups in NBA history, as seen by their four titles in the previous eight years and two more trips to the NBA Finals.



The problem is that things have the potential to become more costly than ever in the not-too-distant future. It is mainly because of the team’s senior core and their newer, younger players who have bloomed into crucial players for the future.



While Steph Curry’s future is assured until the 2025–2026 season, the Warriors still face a number of major choices in the near future. One involves <a href="https://news.thesportsdrop.com/nba/nba-free-agency-nets-acquire-ex-pacers-duo-t-j-warren-and-edmond-sumner-2038-20220706-SPD-2038.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Draymond Green</a> and his upcoming $25.8 million salary and a player option for $27.6 million in the following season.



<h2>Draymond Green set for Warriors’ exit?</h2>



Green has shown interest in signing a new maximum contract with the Warriors, as reported by Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic. His free agency period begins on August 3. The problem is that the Warriors don’t appear interested in giving him one.



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote">All indications, though, are that the Warriors have no plans to offer Green a maximum extension, and there isn’t any current traction on any type of extension. The typical pattern of this Golden State front office is to extend with one year remaining. Even Stephen Curry waited until one year remained before signing his max extension last offseason. Green has two years remaining on the maximum extension he signed in 2019. While he could opt out a year earlier, the Warriors’ current preference is to talk extension with Green next summer.</blockquote>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote">While his desire is to remain with the Warriors, Green is said to be willing to explore his outside options to get the kind of contract he wants. That’s a risk Warriors’ management appears willing to take. Green playing this season with a chip on his shoulder, motivated by proving to the league he deserves a max contact, could have a positive on-court impact.<cite>Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic says</cite></blockquote>

NBA Rumors: Draymond Green could leave Warriors if not offered maximum contract extension - thesportsdrops NEWS

NBA Rumors: Draymond Green could leave Warriors if not offered maximum contract extension

Before the <a href="https:\/\/news.thesportsdrop.com/nba/nba-news-knicks-missed-out-on-stephen-curry-to-warriors-in-2009-nba-draft-1246-20220602-SPD-1246.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Golden State Warriors</a> take on the Boston Celtics in the <a href="https:\/\/news.thesportsdrop.com/nba/nba-attendance-history-what-is-the-highest-attended-game-of-all-time-141-20220502-SPD-141.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NBA Finals</a>, n the lead-up to the Warriors’ NBA Finals showdown with the Boston Celtics, <a href="https:\/\/news.thesportsdrop.com/nba/2022-nba-playoffs-luka-doncic-waxes-lyrical-on-warriors-draymond-green-898-20220519-SPD-898.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Draymond Green</a> provided fresh insight into the behind-the-scenes lifestyle of Warriors players. For the first time in his career, <a href="https:\/\/news.thesportsdrop.com/nba/nba-news-stephen-curry-of-warriors-named-western-conference-finals-inaugural-mvp-1110-20220528-SPD-1110.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Curry</a>, <a href="https:\/\/news.thesportsdrop.com/nba/which-is-the-most-valuable-nba-team-176-20220503-SPD-176.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Thompson</a>, and he have stopped hanging out off the court with each other, according to an interview with ESPN‘s Malika Andrews.



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote">“I think we’ve changed a lot. I think number one, the most importantly, we’re in totally, totally different places in our lives. When I look back at us during that time, we all hung together a lot more. We were just around each other. We don’t hang together very much at all anymore now. “Why? We have children, families, and that takes up all your time when you’re not here. But our bond is no different than it was when we hung together like that, and I think it’s in large part due to the foundation that we built.”<cite>Draymond Green to ESPN</cite></blockquote>



<h2>Warriors need their unity against Celtics</h2>



There’s no doubt that the Warriors will have their work cut out for them when they take on a squad like the Celtics. Game 1 of the NBA Finals ended in a 120-108 defeat for the Golden State Warriors on Thursday. 



Curry led the squad with 34 points, while Green finished the game with only four points. On Sunday, the Warriors will try to avenge their Game 2 setback by defeating Boston in San Francisco.

NBA News: Draymond Green reveals he is no longer close to Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson - thesportsdrops NEWS

NBA News: Draymond Green reveals he is no longer close to Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson

Wednesday night was Game 1 of the <a href="https:\/\/news.thesportsdrop.com/nba/nba-playoffs-format-how-does-the-nba-postseason-work-126-20220502-SPD-126.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Western Conference Final</a> between the <a href="https:\/\/news.thesportsdrop.com/nba/nba-referees-salary-how-much-do-they-earn-per-game-and-year-131-20220502-SPD-131.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Golden State Warriors</a> and Dallas Mavericks.



It’s no secret that Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson pose a danger to the Dallas Mavericks, but <a href="https:\/\/news.thesportsdrop.com/nba/top-3-best-point-guards-of-all-time-in-nba-107-20220502-SPD-107.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Luka Doncic</a> believes that <a href="https:\/\/news.thesportsdrop.com/nba/top-3-best-power-forwards-of-all-time-in-nba-259-20220503-SPD-259.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Draymond Green</a> also poses a concern. In order to shut down Doncic and the Mavs, the Warriors will rely on the 32-year-old power forward.



The influence of Green on the defense of the Warriors is just as great or even greater than that of his colleagues, despite the fact that he does not score as many points as they do.



<h2>Doncic shares real feelings about Green</h2>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote">“I have so much respect for Draymond, man… Obviously Klay and Steph are incredible offensive guys, but I think the key to the Warriors team is Draymond. He is just so unbelievable, and I really respect everything he does.”“[Draymond] impacts the game in every other way, I really have a lot of respect for this guy.” When reminded that the initial question was about trash talk, Luka laughed and said, “You never hear me trash talking in the media. But obviously we’re gonna have some words, that’s the fun about the game. I love that part.”<cite>Doncic told Tim MacMahon of ESPN</cite></blockquote>

Draymond Green

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