Would Draymond Green Be Good Fit for Lakers Amid Latest NBA Free-Agency Rumors?
Draymond Green is a four-time NBA champion, a four-time All-Star, a two-time All-NBA selection, a seven-time All-Defensive team pick and a former NBA Defensive Player of the Year. And he's accomplished all of that over a 10-year career, which has been spent entirely with the Golden State Warriors.
The 32-year-old won his fourth and most recent championship with the Warriors last season, when they made an impressive run to the NBA Finals that culminated with a six-game series win against the Boston Celtics.
Now, they're looking to go back-to-back during the 2022-23 campaign, which begins on October 18.
If Golden State has more success, Green will likely be a large reason for that. The forward remains part of the team's core and one of its biggest leaders.
That doesn't mean the Michigan State product will be with the Warriors for the rest of his career, though.
After the 2022-23 season, Green could become an unrestricted free agent. He has a $27.6 million player option for the 2023-24 campaign, and it's possible he may decide to hit the market instead.
A Western Conference executive recently told Sean Deveney of Heavy.com that there are a few teams that could draw Green away from Golden State.
“If he gets a big offer from Detroit as one example or maybe Dallas or the Lakers, somewhere he would like to play? He is not going to be shy about leaving. He understands this business,” the executive said.
Any of those three teams would be interesting landing spots for Green, and his experience could be valuable to any of them as they pursue an NBA title.
Let's take a closer look at the Lakers, though. They don't have many players under contract beyond the end of the 2022-23 season, and by then, they may have moved on from Russell Westbrook, who will be an unrestricted free agent next summer.
Is Green the type of veteran player who would complement LeBron James and Anthony Davis, helping lead Los Angeles back to championship success? It's an intriguing possibility.
But the player's interest in going to L.A. may actually extend beyond his basketball career.
"You know he loves being on the barbershop show with LeBron," the executive added. "He wants to have an entertainment career when he is done playing. You don’t need to be in L.A. for that, but it helps."
That could make it worthwhile from Green's side. But the Lakers should have interest in pursuing him, should he be available.
Last season, Green averaged 7.5 points, 7.3 rebounds and 7.0 assists in 46 games, and he shot a career-best 52.5 percent from the field. He also continues to play strong defense, which makes him a valuable asset on that end of the court. So, he could provide a big boost for Los Angeles.
Of course, there's always a chance Green accepts his player option for the 2023-24 season, and the speculation will be for naught. But he'll be a UFA the following summer, which could spark more rumors about his future.
