Golden State Warriors co-owner Joe Lacob clarified that Draymond Green was never included in trade discussions leading up to the 2026 NBA trade deadline. Speaking with the San Francisco Standard, Lacob said, “He was never discussed in a trade; Mike was 100% correct what he said. I know he got a lot of crap for that. And it did look defensive. I mean, I think he would say that in retrospect.”
Lacob emphasized that high-level trade conversations rarely include individual names unless discussions become serious. “You don’t just easily banter around names unless you’re getting serious,” he explained. “People can look at the roster and make assumptions about who might or might not have to go. But his name was never specifically discussed with another team. And that’s the truth.”
Green, 35, revealed on The Draymond Green Show that the 2026 trade deadline was his first major exposure to serious trade speculation. “My experience in trade talks, it’s really the first time my name has really been mentioned in some serious trade talks outside of maybe the first year of my career,” he said. The veteran highlighted that winning with Golden State had insulated him from trade chatter for much of his career.
The Warriors ultimately traded Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield to the Atlanta Hawks for Kristaps Porzingis and sent Trayce Jackson-Davis to the Toronto Raptors for a second-round pick. Lacob stressed that Green remains a core player, saying, “You don’t trade a Draymond Green simply or easily. You do it if you have to, and you’re getting tremendous value and improving your team. Even Draymond has said he understands that.”
Through 47 games this season, Green is averaging 8.4 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 5.1 assists in 26.5 minutes per game while shooting 40.9% from the field and 32% from three. His veteran leadership complements Stephen Curry, who leads the team with 27.2 points per game, and Jimmy Butler at 20 points per game.
The Warriors, currently 30-27 and eighth in the Western Conference, aim to maintain playoff contention while adjusting around Porzingis’ upcoming debut. Lacob said the roster moves provided cap flexibility and draft assets without compromising the team’s competitiveness.
Green described the emotional impact of trade uncertainty but remained committed to the organization’s goals. “Joe Lacob’s never going to be okay with just losing,” he said. “The Dubs want to be competitive…always going to try to stay competitive and give ourselves a chance.”
