After well over a decade and four championships, Draymond Green, like many of his Golden State Warriors teammates, considered the possibility of starting fresh with a new team. Hey, Klay Thompson did it and it seems to be working out for him, so far.
However, unlike Thompson, Green ultimately chose to stay with the only NBA franchise he has ever known. As a first-time free agent in June 2023, Green flirted with the idea of joining the Memphis Grizzlies, who offered him a more lucrative contract than Golden State. Yet, it was advice from his close friend and longtime rival, LeBron James, that played a significant role in his decision to remain with the Warriors.
Draymond on Memphis. Can you imagine?
Get this, on a recent episode of The Warner House podcast with San Francisco 49ers linebacker Fred Warner, Green opened up about how James influenced his decision to stay in the Bay Area. “The number one piece of advice that he gave me, and there’s millions of them,” Green said of James, “but the one that stands out to me the most, more than anything, was when I came to an inflection point of do I leave the Warriors or do I [sign with the Grizzlies]?”
At the time, Green was doing what rich people do, hanging out in Paris during Fashion Week. While everyone was showing off their Louis, Versace and Gucci fits, he was engaged in deep phone conversations about his future.
Draymond was speaking with Rich Paul, his agent, and Warriors executives like Mike Dunleavy and Joe Lacob, while LeBron was right there by his side. “He’s sitting at the table, I gotta answer the phone for Rich [Paul], talking to Mike Dunleavy, talking to Joe Lacob, and he’s right there taking it all in,” Green recalled.
With a lot on the line, he was faced with a significant decision: Memphis had offered him a three-year, $105 million contract, whereas the Warriors extended a four-year, $100 million deal. The financial difference was considerable, and Memphis also offered the advantage of no state taxes. So, Green turned to LeBron for guidance, asking, “What would you do?”
James, who has a deep understanding of the game, as the arguable GOAT that he is, gave his candid advice. “It’s hard to pass up the money,” Green recalled James saying, but the Lakers star emphasized the value of what Green had built with the Warriors. “He keeps going back to everything Golden State means to me, everything that I’ve done there,” Green said. “And ultimately, his advice was more so like, ‘You’ve just done something so special there, you have a chance to continue there and keep doing it? Why not? You can go to Memphis and do great things and you can possibly be the missing piece to them doing something special, but is it as special as y’all have done? Would that be as special as y’all have done?’”
Green found this perspective particularly meaningful, especially considering the history between him, LeBron, and the Warriors. “That’s also someone that, in what’s special that we’ve done, a lot of it he was on the wrong side of,” Green explained. “And to give that perspective in those moments, regardless of what side you were on during it, that meant a lot to me.”
LeBron’s wisdom and advice resonated with Green not just because of their friendship, but also because of the unique perspective James offered. Having lost to Golden State in several high-stakes playoff series—including in the NBA Finals—LeBron’s understanding of what the Warriors had accomplished made his counsel all the more impactful. Green reflected, “As someone who had a thing in the palm of his hand, left it and then went back to get it, that’s a different insight.”
When you think about it, joining the Grizzlies would have kept Green in the competitive Western Conference, LeBron knew the right move for his friend. See, that’s what friends are for – keeping it a buck.
His advice ultimately helped Green see that the bond and legacy he had with the Warriors was something truly special, and that remaining in Golden State would offer him the chance to continue building on that success.
In the end, Green chose to remain with the Warriors, keeping the core trio of him, Stephen Curry, and Klay Thompson intact for the foreseeable future—much to the benefit of the Warriors and perhaps to the chagrin of their rivals, including LeBron.
Dope stuff right there.
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