Draymond Green’s offseason trip to China delivered one of those moments that looks almost too strange to be real: a fan sneaking up behind him with a giant live goose and sending the Warriors forward into a full-body jump.
Green was seated outdoors at a table with fans around him while getting ready to sample local food when the prank unfolded. The sight of the lion-head goose was enough to make him bolt up from his seat and run behind the crowd that had gathered nearby. He laughed it off, and so did everyone else there, turning the whole scene into a harmless bit of offseason theater.
The trip comes during the usual NBA summer circuit, when players travel internationally for marketing and sponsorship work. Green is in China now, but he’ll soon be back in the Warriors’ fold as training camps are set to open in a little over a month.
Golden State brought him back on a one-year deal this offseason, keeping the 14-year veteran with the only franchise he has ever played for. Green’s name had also surfaced in trade chatter earlier this offseason as the Warriors were linked to a rumored pursuit of Giannis Antetokounmpo.
He remains one of only two players, along with Stephen Curry, who were around for all four of Golden State’s championship runs since 2015.
Last season, Green played in 68 games and logged a little over 27 minutes per night. He averaged 8.4 points, 5.5 rebounds and 5.5 assists while shooting 41.8 percent from the field, 32.6 percent from 3-point range and 70.2 percent from the free-throw line.
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George Karl added another layer by questioning whether Denver is the kind of organization that can fully support a player of Jokics stature over the long haul. For Warriors fans, that matters because the next offseason keeps coming into view as a possible inflection point, with talk of Jokic eventually reaching free agency and the notion of him in Golden State no longer sounding quite as far-fetched as it once did. [Read more 🡒]
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That matters because Santos showed enough down the stretch last season to get the Warriors attention, and now the challenge is translating that momentum into a larger role in a crowded roster. Golden State has veteran experience and fresh additions in the mix, but Santos decision to stay put suggests the team sees a path for him to be more than a fringe contributor if he keeps building on what he flashed before. [Read more 🡒]
Warriors Suddenly Have Two Intriguing Young Options For Open Roster Spots
The Warriors search for depth at the bottom of the roster is starting to take shape, and it could get a little more interesting in the coming days. Golden State is reportedly planning to bring former Philadelphia 76ers wing Dalen Terry into camp on a training camp contract, giving the team another look at a young player while it sorts through the final spots on the roster. With two main openings still available, the front office appears willing to keep one eye on veteran stability and another on development.
There may also be a fresh opportunity to add more youth to the mix. A five-team trade involving the Washington Wizards has put Cam Whitmore and Julian Reese into the conversation as possible camp candidates, and both would fit the kind of low-risk, upside swing the Warriors have shown interest in before. For a team trying to balance immediate needs with long-term flexibility, those open roster spots could wind up being more competitive than they looked a few days ago. [Read more 🡒]