Draymond Green: 'Idiot' Dillon Brooks Is Reason Grizzlies Aren't Ready to Win Title

It's safe to say Thursday's game between the Golden State Warriors and Memphis Grizzlies will be appointment viewing.

There was already a budding rivalry in place after last season's heated playoff series, but Draymond Green and Dillon Brooks amplified the noise around the two teams with a recent exchange of words.

"I don't like Draymond at all," Brooks told Tim Keown of ESPN. "I just don't like Golden State. I don't like anything to do with them. Draymond talks a lot. Gets away with a lot, too. His game is cool—with Golden State—but if you put him anywhere else, you're not going to know who Draymond is. He plays with heart, plays hard, knows the ins and outs of their defense. I guess that's why they like him over there."

It didn't take long for Green to respond on his podcast.

The Michigan State product called Brooks an "idiot" and said he is one of the reasons the Grizzlies will not win a title as currently constructed (8:51 mark):

"If you ever wondered why the Memphis Grizzlies is not ready to compete for a championship, look no further than this idiot right here. They're actually depending on this guy to help them win a championship. And he says his game is cool. Quite frankly, that just shows how little you know about basketball. ... Your level of understanding the game of basketball is at a fan level. And yet you're running around talking about a dynasty. The dynasty starts after you, not with you. And that's just a fact. Cuz I know dynasty-like players, and they aren't clowns. That doesn't work when building a dynasty. Take it from me. I actually know. Clowns don't work building a dynasty, my man."

Green also went point-by-point (his comments in bold) while responding to Brooks' remarks (7:20 mark):

"I don't like Draymond at all."

• "You don't know me."

"I just don't like Golden State."

• "I quite frankly wouldn't like a team that beats me all the time, either."

"I don't like anything to do with them."

• "Quite frankly, you were a little kid in high school watching us win championships. Should be happy that you even witnessed that. Maybe college. But you get the point. You're a fan, so that's crazy."

"Draymond talks a lot."

• "You talk a lot now, so if you had four rings, you'd talk a lot more. Four All-Stars, you'd probably talk a bit more. Defensive Player of the Year? You for damn sure would talk more. Need I say more?"

At this point, Green and Brooks have both developed reputations as physical players and strong defenders who aren't afraid to talk some trash and mix it up with opponents.

There is likely some additional animosity in place considering last season's second-round playoff series that included plenty of trash talk, physical play, concerns about "breaking the code" and Golden State eventually dispatching the Grizzlies after six hard-fought games.

Most notably, Gary Payton II suffered a fractured elbow in Game 2 on a hard foul from Brooks in transition. Brooks was ejected with a flagrant-2 foul for the play.

There is something to be said for parts of what both players brought up in the most recent back-and-forth.

Playing in Golden State has surely helped Green become a Hall of Fame player, as his role as a defensive stopper, facilitator and rebounder while playing alongside Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and, in the past, Kevin Durant, has helped cover up some of the offensive shortcomings in his game.

Yet he is also far more accomplished than Brooks and has essentially earned the right to talk some trash as a future Hall of Famer.

And talk some trash he did on the latest episode of his podcast.