One team in the NBA that a lot of people are keeping an eye on as we head into the New Year is the Golden State Warriors. What many people thought would hamper the team in Draymond Green being suspended indefinitely, has instead seemed to galvanize the group.
Without Green in the lineup, head coach Steve Kerr has turned to rookies Brandin Podziemski and Trayce Jackson-Davis to fill out the rotation. They have responded well to the move, helping the Warriors reel off a five-game winning streak in Green’s absence.
Alas, that success has been followed by more struggles, as the Warriors are now on a three-game losing streak. As currently constructed, this isn’t a team that will be contending for a title this season.
Even if Green can remain on his best behavior and stay in the lineup, there hasn’t been any evidence this group is going to compete for a spot in the NBA Finals, let alone even make the postseason. 15-17 on the season, Golden State is currently in 11th place in the Western Confeence, a game behind the 10th place Los Angeles Lakers.
Could the Warriors and Lakers come together on a trade that helps both teams looking to climb the standings? During a recent episode of his podcast, Bill Simmons suggested that the teams come together on a deal centered around Green heading to Los Angeles.
“My favorite [trade for Green] — Austin Reeves,” Simmons said on the December 28 episode of his podcast “The Bill Simmons” podcast.” Because next couple of weeks, you could conceivably make a Draymond Green for Austin Reaves trade.”
“The Lakers, let’s say they’re around .500. They talk themselves into this. Golden State has to throw in maybe [Moses] Moody to make that work. Do they have to add other contracts?”
“I just like the trade. I’m not saying it’s going to happen. I’m not reporting it, but I just like it in theory.”
Another frontcourt player is likely the last thing the Lakers need to add to their roster. They already have a logjam in the frontcourt and adding Green would only complicate things more. His skill set as a playmaker would certainly be helpful alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis, but finding minutes in an overstuffed frontcourt would be tough.
Especially when it comes at the expense of arguably the team’s best guard in Austin Reaves. Reaves has been excellent since moving into his role on the second unit and is a key contributor to the purple and gold. Trading him, especially for a player such as Green, would be a bad move for the Lakers.
If Los Angeles is going to make a trade, it will likely be to upgrade in the backcourt and on the wing, not remove pieces from those spots. Unless Green was added as part of a bigger deal, it is hard to envision him landing with the Lakers ahead of the trade deadline.
