Draymond Green Defends the Jazz Amid Tanking Controversy - Yes, Really
In a twist that few saw coming, Draymond Green - yes, that Draymond Green - has stepped up to defend the Utah Jazz, a franchise he’s clashed with more than once over the years. But in the wake of the NBA's punishment for what it deemed tanking tactics, Green is offering a rare bit of support to a team that’s suddenly found itself under fire.
On a recent episode of his podcast, Green didn’t just push back against the criticism aimed at the Jazz - he flipped the script entirely. According to Green, Utah’s strategy isn’t about chasing a high lottery pick for the sake of it.
It’s about protecting their own draft capital from falling into the hands of the Oklahoma City Thunder. And in Green’s eyes, that’s just smart management.
Let’s break it down: The Jazz owe a pick to OKC under certain conditions. If their record slips just enough, they keep that pick.
If not, it heads to the Thunder - a team that, as Green pointed out, built its current core through an aggressive tank-and-rebuild model not all that long ago. So when Utah makes moves to avoid handing over a valuable asset, Green sees it not as unethical, but as strategic - and maybe even necessary.
That’s a bold stance, especially considering how loud the criticism has been. Across the league, fans and analysts alike have been quick to label Utah’s recent decisions as tanking in its purest form. But Green, who’s never been shy about calling it like he sees it, isn’t buying into that narrative.
The irony here? Green was part of a Warriors team that did something similar back in the day.
The year Golden State drafted him, they weren’t exactly chasing wins down the stretch either. That experience might be informing his perspective now - a veteran who’s seen how the sausage gets made, and isn’t afraid to say it out loud.
Of course, Jazz fans have had their fair share of run-ins with Green over the years. From his public jabs at Rudy Gobert to that infamous on-court incident with Jusuf Nurkić, Green hasn’t exactly been a fan favorite in Salt Lake City. But credit where it’s due - when it came time to weigh in on a controversial issue, he didn’t let old grudges cloud his judgment.
This doesn’t mean Green’s suddenly a Jazz ally. He’s been critical of the franchise before, and odds are he’ll be critical again - especially if Utah starts winning and becomes a bigger threat in the Western Conference. That’s just how he operates: outspoken, unfiltered, and unapologetically honest.
But in this moment, Green’s message was clear. He sees the Jazz’s maneuvering not as a betrayal of the game, but as a calculated response to a system that rewards long-term planning - even when that planning gets messy. And coming from a four-time NBA champion who’s lived through both the highs and lows of team building, that perspective carries weight.
So no, Draymond Green hasn’t suddenly become a Jazz ambassador. But for a franchise under the microscope, having a voice as prominent as his step in and say, “Hey, this isn’t as black-and-white as it looks,” is something Utah fans can at least appreciate - even if they’re still not ready to hang his jersey in the rafters.
In the end, Green’s not defending the Jazz because it’s popular. He’s doing it because, from his vantage point, it makes basketball sense. And whether you love him or loathe him, that’s something Draymond’s always brought to the table: a willingness to speak his truth, even when it ruffles feathers.