Should Lakers Plan for a Draymond Green Pursuit amid Recent Rumors?

The Los Angeles Lakers have long appealed to some of basketball's best and brightest, and it seems the recent player reportedly interested in the Purple and Gold is a four-time NBA champion.

Draymond Green's days with the Golden State Warriors could be numbered. He holds a $27.6 million player option for 2023-24, per Spotrac, and if he declines it, he'll enter free agency at the same time as teammates Jordan Poole and Andrew Wiggins. If the Dubs can't afford to pay all three—their payroll is enormous as it is—it's possible Green could be the odd man out given his age (32) and offensive limitations.

If Green gets squeezed out of Golden State, he reportedly would have interest moving down the California coast and joining the Lakers.

"I can tell you right now that Draymond Green is expecting this to be his last year in Golden State," ESPN's Stephen A. Smith said. "Now he wants to be a Laker. He ain't tell anybody that but don't think I don't know. He'd prefer to be a Laker if he gotta leave Golden State."

That might be Green's preference, but would a partnership make sense for the Lakers? Let's explore.

The Argument for Adding Green

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SAITAMA, JAPAN - SEPTEMBER 30: Draymond Green #23 of the Golden State Warriors dribbles the ball during the game against the Washington Wizards as part of the 2022 NBA Japan Games on September 30, 2022 at Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan . NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2022 NBAE (Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images)

The Lakers have encountered challenge after challenge in recent seasons, but the through line between them has been a lack of talent.

LeBron James and Anthony Davis are difference-makers when healthy, but keeping them upright has been tricky. And when they go down, the rest of the team follows suit, because there just aren't enough high-level players on the roster.

Green would scratch that itch.

No, he's not a prolific scorer or even an average three-point shooter, but he is a defensive superstar who has enhanced his star teammates with his screen-setting and playmaking. He is one of the few players in the league who can rival James' basketball IQ, and while the fit isn't perfect between them, they might be smart enough to figure it out.

There's a universe in which Green and James get the ball dancing around the offensive end and carve up opponents by spotting open shooters, slashers and lob finishers. The defense could be dominant, too, since those two and Davis all boast enviable size and quickness combinations.

The Argument Against Adding Green

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SAN FRANCISCO, CA - SEPTEMBER 25: Draymond Green #23 of the Golden State Warriors poses for a portrait during 2022 NBA Media Day September 25, 2022 at Chase Center in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2022 NBAE (Photo by Atiba Jefferson/NBAE via Getty Images)

While Green doesn't play anything like Russell Westbrook, some of the same challenges the latter has faced with the Lakers could make the former a similarly tricky fit.

Opponents don't have much reason to pay attention to Green on offense. He hasn't been a double-digit scorer or a 30 percent perimeter shooter since 2017-18. He manages to not clog up the offensive end in Golden State by constantly working to free up and feed Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, but the Lakers don't have movement shooters who can play the same two-man game.

Like Westbrook, Green needs offensive touches to positively impact that end. That requires taking the ball out of James' hands, which simply isn't a winning strategy. While Green could become a screening partner for James, the Lakers would probably get better mileage out of James-Davis pick-and-rolls since the Brow is much more of a scoring threat and capable of creating for others.

The defensive upside is relatively interesting since a Green-James-Davis trio can cover a lot of real estate, but you wonder if some slippage on that end could come for Green as he gets deeper into his 30s. That's not a great concern now—he was awesome on that end last season—but if he gets a long contract like he wants, you wonder how much longer he'll offer the same switchability that has made him and Golden State's defense so effective.

Is It Worth It?

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SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 07: Draymond Green #23 of the Golden State Warriors talks with injured LeBron James #6 of the Los Angeles Lakers in the first half at Chase Center on April 07, 2022 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

If the Lakers landed Green, their fans would have reasons to celebrate. He's a decorated player in this league, a probable future Hall of Famer and one of the best defenders of this generation.

All of that said, L.A. can find a better fit for its coveted third star.

The Lakers need more offensive juice. Green can't really help with that. They have to keep attack lanes open for James and Davis. Green's lack of shooting might make them tighter. While they want players who can contribute to a championship run, they also need players who can contribute in the post-LeBron era. Green's clock is already ticking.

If the option was Green or no one, then obviously L.A. would pounce. However, the Lakers will have alternatives—through trades, free agency or both—and several will be better fits and therefore more impactful additions than Green would be.