Draymond Green’s name was thrown into the rumor mill prior to the NBA’s trade deadline. A few weeks after the deadline, Golden State Warriors owner Joe Lacob addressed these rumors.
Draymond Green Was Never on the Trade Block
The Warriors were considered to be the frontrunners to land Giannis Antetokounmpo if he were to be moved ahead of the trade deadline. The Warriors had more first-round picks to offer than anyone else, which made them the favorites to get a deal done.
Aside from those picks, a few players were also thrown into the mix, including Jonathan Kuminga, Jimmy Butler III, Brandin Podziemski, and Green. When the trade deadline passed, though, Antetokounmpo remained with the Milwaukee Bucks, and Green with the Warriors.
Despite the lack of movement, many held their breath in anticipation of a possible move. Now, Lacob has cleared the air and made it clear that those who were waiting waited for pretty much nothing.
In an article for the San Francisco Standard, Tim Kawakami quoted Lacob, who emphasized Green’s value to the Warriors franchise. “[Green] was never discussed in a trade, Mike [Dunleavy] was 100% correct what he said,” Lacob said.
The Warriors’ owner also said that the discussions with the Bucks never progressed to the point where specific Warriors players were named. He then reiterated that Green was never on the block, whether it was to the Bucks or anywhere else.
“But I can tell you he was never shopped in any way,” Lacob added. “He’s a core person in our franchise. You don’t trade a Draymond Green simply or easily. You do it if you have to, and you’re getting tremendous value and you’re improving your team. Even Draymond has said he understands that. You have to look at these things. But his name was never specifically discussed with another team and that’s the truth.”
Warriors owner Joe Lacob says you don’t trade players like Draymond — and the Warriors were never going to move him for Giannis
“He’s a core person in our franchise. You don’t trade a Draymond Green simply or easily.”
(Via @sfstandard / h/t @ClutchPoints ) pic.twitter.com/IW6UdU9bb7
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) February 20, 2026
While Stephen Curry is the superstar and the face of the Warriors franchise, Green is their enforcer and their heart and soul. He was drafted in 2012 as the 35th overall pick, and he’s spent every season with the Warriors since then.
His numbers don’t jump out at anyone, averaging only 8.7 points, 6.8 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 1.3 steals, and 1.0 blocks for his career. However, it’s the work behind those numbers that makes him valuable to the Warriors.
He’s an unselfish playmaker, hardworking rebounder, and staunch defender. His efforts on the court as a hustle player make him valuable even when his numbers might say otherwise.
For now, it looks like he’ll be spending the rest of his career with the Warriors. When it’s all said and done for him, he’ll most likely become a franchise legend.
