Steve Kerr’s confession adds to the Draymond Green trade rumors

SAN FRANCISCO– This was a tough trade deadline for everyone on the Golden State Warriorswho is not named Stephen Curry.

With the possibility of signing superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo on the table, and the Warriors’ best offer on the table from the Milwaukee Bucks, the Golden State locker room is waiting in purgatory for a potential move that could shake up the entire roster.

And for the first time in his legendary career, Draymond Green of the Warriors is among those on the trade block waiting with bated breath for what might be on the horizon. According to ESPN Warriors insider Anthony Slater, Golden State included Green in active trade talks before the Feb. 5 trade deadline, primarily as part of acquiring Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Ahead of Golden State’s final game before Thursday’s long-awaited deadline, Coach Steve Kerr acknowledged the difficulties this trade deadline, especially for a player who has accomplished as much as Green has with this organization.

“I talked to him a little bit about it yesterday,” Kerr said. “I’m just trying to get a feel for what’s out there, what’s going on. If I need to just go in and say something or talk to a guy, I’ll do it.”

And this is probably the first time I would say since I’ve been here that his name has actually been brought up in trade talks. So it’s different, but it’s also part of the league. It’s part of almost every player’s journey in this league, just being mentioned. But it’s his first time, so it’s a little different.”

Why is Draymond Green on the trade block?

While there has been speculation that the Warriors could make a deal around Jimmy Butler, who was lost for the season, and his $54.1 million salary for Antetokounmpo, Nick Friedel of the Athletics reported that the Dubs have given Butler an indication that they do not plan to deal him.

Connecting the dots – if the Warriors want to make a big-time acquisition like Antetokounmpo, they would have to use Green’s contract along with other additional salary to make the deal possible.

And according to ClutchPoints’ NBA insider Brett Siegel, The Bucks prefer Green as an asset over Butler due to the size of his contract and the potential to trade him for additional assets to competing teams. One executive told Siegel that Green could potentially be a first-round pick after the chaotic Warriors-Bucks-Antetokounmpo deal.

As things stand now, the Warriors have delivered their Green-centric package to the Bucks, with their unprotected rookie-centric package stretching deep into the post-Curry era. But they remain at the mercy of Milwaukee as the team continues to evaluate rival packages. And until that is resolved, Green sits in an unknown limbo.

Of course, there’s always the possibility that the trade deadline comes and goes and Green stays with the team. But it creates a snarky atmosphere that surrounds the team, no matter how much everyone acknowledges the elephant in the room.

Where is Draymond Green right now

On the surface, Greene seems to handle this situation with little concern. After Friday’s loss to the Detroit Pistons, Green spoke candidly about his future in the Bay Area.

“I’ve been here 14 years. I have no reason to sit and worry about leaving,” Green said. “But if I get traded, that’s part of the job. I’m not losing any sleep, though. I slept great last night.”

Still, Kerr mentioned that while what he and Green are telling the media may be along the lines of no one losing sleep, it’s still a strange place to be in — in limbo waiting for two teams to decide your fate.

“That’s what we’re all telling you, we’re (not) losing sleep. We’re all losing sleep over this,” Kerr said. “It’s a strange profession, you know, it’s very transient in nature and it’s something that every coach has to manage and manage with their players.”

With all that in mind, it makes for a tough deadline for Kerr, Green and the rest of the Warriors as they look to extend their window by potentially sacrificing a player who helped them win four championships.

“This was definitely harder than most,” Kerr admitted. “Last year’s (deadline) was really tough, too. We’ve had a lot of years where nobody was too worried about anything. But these last two years, there’s been a lot of chatter. And it puts guys on edge, for sure.”

Golden State will wait and see what happens with Green as the trade deadline draws closer and closer.