For many, the Golden State Warriors were the laughing stock of the offseason. The impactful moves to set themselves up for a bounce-back campaign in 2026-27 were not there, and the Warriors now appear ready for a gap year. That much is not ideal with a 38-year-old Stephen Curry.
This made Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic believe that depending on how this upcoming season goes, fireworks the could be on the table midway in. That included the possibility of trading longtime franchise pillar Draymond Green. The Bay Area columnist said as much on Kevin O'Connor's podcast.
"Draymond could be traded at the trade deadline. ... If this thing doesn’t work, they could make some decisions where you’re like, ‘Okay, we’re gonna drastically change this thing.'"
Thompson brought up Green's expiring contract as something to monitor amid those potential changes. One would imagine the Warriors ride this one out until the trade deadline before pulling the plug on anything or anyone significant. Should they decide to explore a serious changing of the guard, Draymond is a name who could warrant consideration on the Los Angeles Lakers' part.
Lakers should have a financial pathway to Draymond Green
Green's $27.7 million expiring deal stands out as a large figure to get up to for the Lakers at first. However, it should be workable by the time of the 2027 trade deadline.
Without including the major new arrivals in Los Angeles, who the team would hope can hit the ground running, there is still a chance for the Lakers to make the money match up. An outgoing package including Jarred Vanderbilt, Jaden Hardy, and Jake LaRavia allows Rob Pelinka to take a shot.
By the time the Lakers finalize this roster, there could even be someone new to work with in that potential deal. From there, it just becomes a conversation of Green's cost. Pelinka would need to figure out how much draft capital is required.
The on-court fit of Draymond Green in Los Angeles is worth pondering
You can certainly argue Green's best days as an elite role player are behind him. However, even past his peak, Draymond adds a lot of value to any team he is on.
Green is the type of vocal leader that organizes any defense he is a part of. The four-time NBA champion has captained several elite units during his time with the Warriors. Slotting in at the four for the Lakers, the combination of Draymond and Walker Kessler could give the team an excellent chance to be extremely functional and productive on that end.
Green's defensive ability also helps offset Sandro Mamukelashvili's limitations on that side of the court when it is time to mix and match the bench guys in. One way or another, Draymond fits in well with the bigs.
Offensively, Green is still the type of playmaker who can help facilitate an offense when the ball is taken out of the hands of Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. His scoring will always be a wild card, but the Lakers have a ton in that department already.
If Los Angeles gets to a point in 2027 where they are seeking an upgrade or two to really finalize a championship push, and Green is available, considering the option is warranted. It may not be the first option the Lakers explore, or even the second, but the discussion is worth having.
Add us as a preferred source on Google