Draymond Green’s time with the Golden State Warriors could be coming to an end. On Monday, reports surfaced that the Warriors have included the former Defensive Player of the Year in trade discussions. Green was linked to Golden State’s rumored trade offer for Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo.
On Tuesday, head coach Steve Kerr acknowledged the trade rumors. The four-time NBA champion coach said he had already spoken to Green about the issue. Kerr did not reveal the nature of their conversation. The veteran coach said, “This is probably the first time since I've been here that his name has ever really been mentioned in trade talks.”
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Green saw action for the Warriors on Tuesday. With Steph Curry out with a knee injury, Golden State suffered another loss. They fell to a Joel Embiid-less Philadelphia 76ers side 113-94.
Green registered six points on 2-of-7 shooting, seven rebounds, three assists and two three pointers in 25 minutes of action.
After the game, Green addressed the trade rumors. The 35-year-old admitted that “it’s gotten more real” for him over the past couple of days. He also acknowledged the possibility that his Warriors tenure could end.
“If it ends after 13 and a half years, what a [expletive] run it’s been,” he said. “I’ll take the fine. What a [expletive] run it’s been.”
Green’s comments could now get him into trouble. In fact, he even pointed out that he will likely be fined by the NBA for his obscene statement. The Warriors star, however, was willing to accept the punishment.
The league is very strict about profanity, particularly during postgame interviews. On Monday, Dallas Mavericks head coach was fined $35,000 by the NBA for publicly criticizing the referees and “using profane language during a media interview.”
Last season, Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards was fined $50,000 for a similar offense. Edwards did not criticize the refs in his statement, but he was still fined for profanity.
It remains to be seen what kind of punishment, if any, Green will face because of his postgame comments on Tuesday night. As he said, however, he’s willing to take the fine just to get his point across.