If Warriors decide to trade Draymond Green, Lakers would be ideal partner

Warriors' Draymond Green is currently serving an indefinite suspension after striking Suns' Jusuf Nurkic in the face with his arm. The veteran forward has been involved in multiple incidents over the past 18 months, including punching then-teammate Jordan Poole during Golden State's 2022 training camp. Green recently signed a four-year, $100 million contract extension. However, some believe Golden State could look to trade him if he continues to step out of line.

According to a league executive, who spoke with Heavy on Sport's Sean Deveney under the condition of anonymity, the Los Angeles Lakers could be the ideal trade partner. The executive noted how LeBron James would be capable of keeping Green in check.

“If you were to get him out of Golden State, there’s really only one team that could possibly trade for him. That’s the Lakers,” The executive told Deveney. “No one else could really handle what he’s bringing. LeBron James could. Draymond has been kissing up to LeBron for a couple of years now...It’s not just the on-court stuff and the fights and all of that. But the contract. The approach—there are not a lot of teams he would want to play for. All of that. Our team, our owner, we could not handle a Draymond Green trade. Most people would say that same thing. The Lakers could handle it, though. I doubt they want to. But they could.”

Green has been an integral part of the Warriors' core for over a decade. It's highly unlikely the front office would move on from him unless they felt they had no other option. Should the Warriors decide it's in their best interest to trade Green, though, the Lakers are a logical landing spot. Green's friendship with LeBron is well-documented.

When locked in and at his best, Green is a generational defensive talent. He would quickly re-establish a championship mindset within the Lakers locker room and help LeBron challenge for another championship ring. 

Nevertheless, it's doubtful the Warriors would send Green to a championship rival unless they were entering a rebuild. Although, crazier things have happened in the NBA.