Draymond Green's decision to attend LeBron James' birthday party will have rumors swirling
A video of Draymond Green attending LeBron James' birthday party has surfaced on social media, courtesy of TMZ. Green is currently serving an indefinite suspension from the NBA for multiple breaches of on-court conduct. He is also widely known to be close friends with LeBron. There's nothing against the rules that would stop him from attending his friend's birthday party, regardless of who that friend plays for.
However, given the media attention Green is currently dealing with and the number of rumors linking him with a trade to the Los Angeles Lakers last season, the decision to attend may be seen as questionable. Green needs to be staying out of the media limelight at the moment. His current remit is to work on himself and get to a stage where he's cleared to produce on the court.
By showing up to LeBron's party, Green has put himself back in a position where the rumors surrounding his future with the Golden State Warriors will begin to swirl. Golden State has been stuttering through its schedule this year and is on its second losing streak of the season.
It's clear something needs to change within the Warriors roster, and given his current situation, Green is viewed as a potential makeweight by analysts around the league.
Of course, the Warriors recently signed Green to a four-year, $100 million contract extension. Heading into the season, it was clear the front office wanted to continue building around their veteran core. Green's current situation may have changed that thinking. The Lakers have also been struggling and could be looking for upgrades ahead of the Feb. 8 trade deadline.
Regardless of whether Green will be traded or not, the additional media focus could slow down the progress he's making behind the scenes. It's too soon to be postulating potential deals that end Green's tenure in the Bay Area. However, that is the position he's potentially put himself in after being snapped at a party for the player he's consistently linked with via the rumor mill.
Green is currently in a lose-lose situation. Everything he does is under a microscope. Even something as simple as attending a friend's party can be spun in countless directions. He would be better served staying away from high-profile events until he's back on the court and helping his team dig themselves out of their current funk. Otherwise, the bad press that's following him around will only continue to grow, and that's not good for anybody.
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