Ending the Warriors Locker Room Wars
Golden State Warriors receive: SF/PF Danilo Gallinari, SG Lou Williams, PG Milos Teodosic, SG Jerome Robinson
LA Clippers receive: PF/C Draymond Green, SG Klay Thompson, LAC 2022 First Round Pick
Since the 2014-2015 season, the Golden State Warriors have brought in free agents Kevin Durant and DeMarcus Cousins, won three NBA Championships, and have broken several three point records with their best player Stephen Curry leading the way, all while keeping the league on watch as they’ve continued to dominate. The seemingly unbeatable Warriors are finally showing some dysfunction after a heated argument was leaked between Durant and Draymond Green.
"“We don’t need you. We won without you. Leave.”"
The Warriors may have a problem on their hands, and with Kevin Durant being one of their top two players, they can’t afford to lose him. If someone has to go, it has to be Green. Durant will become a free agent in 2019, along with teammate Klay Thompson. GSW will have a real problem on their hands if this escalates any more than it has. The initial brawl took place at the end of their first meeting with the Clippers of the season and the Warriors have looked average since, losing three of their four games.
This isn’t Green’s first rodeo of being a reported locker room nuisance. The Warriors have a big decision to make. They can either keep their super-team together in hopes to bring more NBA titles to the Bay Area or, they can salvage their best players and cash in on their other pieces.
In this trade, the Clippers would be giving away a lot of assets. Danilo Gallinari has been phenomenal for LAC, posting 18.6 points and 5.7 rebounds on efficient shooting from three, something the Warriors would value. Milos Teodosic has seen his minutes per game drastically decrease from 25.2 last season to 10.3 now. He could provide the Warriors with playmaking off the bench. Lou Williams would be huge for the Warriors, giving their nearly dormant bench some life. His volume scoring and clutch play would help the Warriors when their starters are resting. Jerome Robinson may not be ready for the spotlight as of now, but in a few years when Curry and Durant have slowed down, he could be a franchise star. The future first round pick could either be very valuable if this trade didn’t work out for the Clippers, or it could a late first rounder that LAC wouldn’t need anyways. Golden State would undoubtedly be losing a lot on the defensive end with this trade, but the immense amount of offensive fire power brought in could make it worth it for the reigning champs.
Green’s antics might cause his Warrior teammates to grow irritable and make them contemplate on if they want to re-sign with the franchise. One of those free agents on the Warriors, Klay Thompson, hasn’t been off to the best start this season. He’s struggled from three point range, only shooting 32%. His shooting pains might be attributed to being on a team with four other All-Stars. While he has made it sound like he would like to stay in Oakland past his current contract, nothing is certain with the near future of this team.
The Clippers would be losing a lot of their depth, but it would be worth it, as both Green and Thompson are multi-time All-Stars. If they are to sign an All-Star in next summer’s free agency, the Clippers will instantly become championship contenders once again. Gallinari is in the midst of a bounce back season, and with his value as high as ever, it is time for the Clippers to cash in on his success. Thompson’s best quality is his ability to heat up faster than any other player. On January 23, 2015 in the third quarter of a game against the Sacramento Kings, Thompson scored an NBA record 37 points in one quarter. Later, when playing the Indiana Pacers on December 6, 2016, Thompson put up 60 points in only 29 minutes, a game that secured him Performance of the Year at the 2017 NBA Award Show. Most recently, Thompson buried 14 three pointers on October 29, 2018 against the Chicago Bulls, a record previously held by his teammate Stephen Curry with 13. Green doesn’t produce huge scoring outbursts like Thompson, but he can do everything else. In the 2016-2017 season, Green won Defensive Play of the Year and was first in assists and steals, second in rebounds and blocks, and fourth in points among all Warriors players. That versatility at the power forward position would be incredibly valuable for LAC and Green would be able to pair nicely with most stars that are available next summer.