The NBA rumor mill never sleeps, and this season, it nearly sent shockwaves through the league with whispers of a potential Giannis Antetokounmpo trade. At the center of it all? The Milwaukee Bucks’ franchise cornerstone and two-time MVP - and one very aware Draymond Green.
While Milwaukee ultimately held firm and decided not to move their superstar, the mere idea of Giannis hitting the trade block had teams scrambling. One of the most aggressive suitors?
The Golden State Warriors. With an aging core built around Stephen Curry and a championship window that’s narrowing by the day, Golden State knew it had to think big.
And there’s no move bigger than Giannis.
But chasing a player of that caliber comes with a price - and for the Warriors, that price likely included Draymond Green.
Green, the emotional heartbeat of the Warriors and a four-time NBA champion, has never been one to shy away from the realities of the business. He’s fiercely loyal to the Bay, and the organization has shown that same respect in return. Still, when rumors started to swirl, Green wasn’t caught off guard - because he already knew the door was cracked open.
On The Draymond Green Show, Green pulled back the curtain on the internal conversations he had with Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy. According to Green, Dunleavy was upfront about what a potential Giannis deal would look like.
“[Mike Dunleavy told me] if we were to do a deal with Giannis, you or Jimmy would have to be in a trade just to make it work,” Green said.
That kind of transparency is rare - and appreciated - but it didn’t stop Green from bracing himself for what could’ve been a seismic shift in his career. Dunleavy may not have said a trade was imminent, but he didn’t rule it out either. That alone was enough for Green to start preparing for the possibility.
“What it said to me in that moment was, ‘Okay, there’s a chance I may get traded for Giannis.’ He didn’t rule it out. So I took that as, ‘It’ll probably be me,’” Green admitted.
That’s the thing about being a veteran in this league. After 14 seasons, Green understands the business side as well as anyone.
Loyalty is real, but so are cap sheets, trade math, and the cold calculus of roster building. So he did what any responsible father and husband would do - he had the tough conversations.
“I spoke to my wife. I spoke to my son in particular, just because his situation could change drastically,” Green revealed.
He even began thinking through the logistics. If he were moved to Milwaukee, would his family come with him?
Would he want to stay there long term? These aren’t just basketball questions - they’re life questions.
In the end, the Warriors didn’t pull the trigger. Giannis stayed put, and Green remained in Golden State.
But the offseason looms, and with it, the potential for more fireworks. The Warriors still face a crossroads: double down on their aging core or make a bold move to stay in the title hunt.
For now, Green is keeping his focus where it’s always been - on helping the Warriors find their rhythm and fight their way back into contention. But he knows better than anyone that in the NBA, nothing is off the table.