The Golden State Warriors are short on the kind of trade ammo that usually gets a star conversation moving. They do have first-round picks to work with, but the bigger issue is what’s actually on the roster to package with them. Right now, the collection of movable talent doesn’t exactly scream “all-in swing.”
That’s why Draymond Green has surfaced as a possible path to something bigger. After Green signed his new contract, the Warriors could theoretically use his deal along with their three tradable first-round picks to chase a player like Trey Murphy of the New Orleans Pelicans.
“Now, it is a longshot that the Warriors would trade Green this season, though they do have three tradeable first-round picks that they could package, and Green’s contract is hefty enough that it could bring back a star-caliber player (Trey Murphy of the Pelicans comes to mind).
“But, as a player, Green does not have as much value to other teams as he does to the Warriors, where he has teamed with Curry and coach Steve Kerr for 12 years,” Sean Deveney wrote.
That last part is the real hurdle. Green matters enormously in Golden State, but around the league, his trade value doesn’t carry the same weight.
For a team like the Pelicans, the appeal would be the picks. What they would not be getting is a young player they could plug in and expect to grow into a dependable above-average piece. That makes the construction tricky, which is why a deal like this would likely need a third team to step in and help make it work.
Another possibility, according to the reporting, is that Green could accept a buyout so he could land with a contender. If the Warriors decided to move him, that would be their concern less than where he winds up next.
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