“If I had played my last game for the Warriors…”

The match between the Warriors and the Sixers This night had all the makings of an uninspiring encounter. Four stars (Curry, Butler, Embiid, George) absent, the Sixers playing their second straight game after being delayed at the Chase Center by Super Bowl traffic, all on a Tuesday, two days before the trade deadline and ten days before the All-Star Game.

In this already bleak climate, Draymond Green’s future loomed. Could this innocuous match in early February be his last in a Warriors jersey? After James HardenDarius Garland or even Jaren Jackson Jr., Draymond Green could he be the next big player to pack his bags?

For the first time in his career, the option is on the table as Golden State tries to recruit, at any cost, Giannis Antetokounmpo. And if, according to the Warriors, Jimmy Butler and his exorbitant contract guarantee that he will stay in the San Francisco Bay Area, the Greek Freak’s transfer salary equation should definitely include Draymond Green.

“Since I’ve been here, this is probably the first time his name has been seriously mentioned in transfer rumours. confirmed by Steve Kerr. “I talked about it with him this morning, because it’s a different situation for him, for us. Last season, with the departure of Andrew Wiggins, it was already a difficult situation. It’s the same thing this year, it’s much more delicate than in the past.”

It’s hard to imagine Stephen Curry without Draymond Green

Trading Andrew Wiggins, a Warriors locker room favorite, and potentially Draymond Green, however, are two things that cannot be compared.

Along with Stephen Curry and Steve Kerr, Draymond Green is one of the last pillars of the Golden State dynasty. Green spent his entire career (14 seasons) with the Warriors. He is the soul of the team, the conductor of the defense, the yin to the yang of Stephen Curry. Sending him to Milwaukee, or potentially elsewhere, in the next 48 hours would send shock waves through the Golden State locker room. The weight of rumors already contributed to the fact that the Warriors were worse against the Sixers last night.

If the person in question assured a few days ago that those rumors did not prevent him from sleeping, he feels that the pressure is growing.
“When Steve came to talk to me at training two days ago and asked how I was doing and how my wife was dealing with all the rumours, that’s when it became real for me.Green said. “So I talked about it with my son when I came to the gym tonight and he didn’t understand why I might be moved.

“Obviously that’s what we have to tell you, but I can assure you that we’re all having trouble sleeping as the transfer deadline approaches. he said before the game against Philadelphia. “Even though Draymond is a veteran and knows the NBA business very well, the situation is still delicate. It’s a strange profession when you think about it. Yes, we all make a very good living, but it’s a very roving profession. Almost every NBA player is transferred at some point in their career, and this is a time when players have to learn to play for years.”

“I don’t know if I’ll be there on Thursday… All good things must come to an end…”

The coach also explained that even if the Warriors have a clear separation of powers between the coach and general manager, his role puts him in a position where he has to manage the players and their anxieties before the end of the transfer window, while taking part in discussions with managers to try to improve the team.

“Mike (Dunleavy Jr.) calls me if there’s something on the table to get my opinion, but I don’t call him to give him player suggestions. I’m not in front of my computer trying to make transfers on a trade machine to tell him what to do.” Kerr explains with a smile. “For example, he called me earlier today to let me know about the possible options we have. I know my opinion is taken into account, but ultimately it’s up to him and his staff to make the decision.”

If they had a choice, Steve Kerr, Stephen Curry and Draymond Green would want to complete this adventure together. Despite all the success they have had, this is not their decision.

“I don’t know if I’ll be there on Thursday … All good things come to an end, and if it comes to an end in the next two days or in a year, it doesn’t matter,” Green said after the loss to the Sixers. “I’m very grateful to have spent 13 1/2 years with the same franchise. I never thought it was possible when I first came to the NBA. So if I played my last game for the Golden State Warriors … it will be an extraordinary adventure.”

Comments collected in San Francisco.