Draymond Green’s Future in Golden State Hangs in the Balance as Trade Deadline Looms
The Golden State Warriors may be on the verge of a seismic shift - one that could bring Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Bay, but at the cost of ending Draymond Green’s 14-year run with the franchise.
As the NBA trade deadline approaches, league chatter has zeroed in on Green as the key piece in a potential blockbuster deal with the Milwaukee Bucks. According to multiple sources, Green and his camp are fully aware that his name is front and center in trade talks - and that the possibility of him heading to Milwaukee is very real.
The Warriors, reportedly committed to supporting Jimmy Butler through a year-long ACL rehab, are unlikely to include him in any trade scenario. That leaves Green as the most logical and financially viable piece to move in a deal for Antetokounmpo. Given the economics of the league and the structure of Golden State’s roster, Green’s contract is the one that fits - both in terms of salary matching and roster construction.
Green, 35, signed a four-year, $100 million extension in 2023, with a player option for the 2026-27 season. He could opt out this summer and test free agency - or, if traded, work out a buyout with Milwaukee. Either way, his future is now officially in flux.
If this is indeed the end of the road for Green in Golden State, it marks the conclusion of one of the most iconic partnerships in modern NBA history. Over 1,000 games played, four championships, countless defensive stands, and more than a few scuffles later, Green has been the emotional heartbeat of a dynasty. His voice, his fire, his willingness to do the dirty work - all of it helped define the Warriors’ identity during their run of dominance.
Still, Green isn’t losing sleep over the rumors. "I've been here for 14 years.
I have no reason to sit and worry about leaving," he told reporters last week. "But if I’m traded, that’s part of the business."
That quote says a lot. Green knows the game.
He’s seen stars come and go, dynasties rise and fall. And now, he may be the one moving on - not because he’s no longer valuable, but because his value might just be the key to unlocking the next era of Warriors basketball.
If the Warriors do pull off a trade for Antetokounmpo, it would be a franchise-altering move - the kind that shifts championship windows and reshapes the league’s power structure. But it would also mean saying goodbye to a player who’s been more than just a stat line or a defensive anchor. Draymond Green has been the soul of Golden State basketball.
And if this is his final week in a Warriors uniform, it’s not just the end of a chapter - it’s the closing of a legacy.