Apr 1, 2025; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Memphis Grizzlies forward Santi Aldama (left), Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (left middle), Memphis Grizzlies center Zach Edey (right middle), and Golden State Warriors forward Jimmy Butler III (10) battle for a rebound during the first quarter at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Details of Major Canceled Warriors-Grizzlies Trade Revealed

Originally posted on Memphis Grizzlies on SI
By Grant Mona | Last updated May 16, 2025 7:37 PM ET

The Golden State Warriors and Memphis Grizzlies have had their fair share of battles throughout the years, building up a sort of pseudo-rivalry. The 2023 season for both teams ended at the hands of the Los Angeles Lakers, who finished as the 7th seed in the Western Conference and eliminated the Grizzlies and Warriors in consecutive rounds.

After that 2022-2023 season, it was clear both teams needed to make changes to their roster, with several players expected to be on the way out. While the two sides had a rivalry going on, that didn't eliminate the possibility of them doing business with one another.

John Hefti-Imagn Images

Now, a comment by The Ringer's Logan Murdock on a recent episode of The Zach Lowe Show provides some insight into what could have happened that summer in a deal that would've shaken up the NBA's landscape.

"There was a deal in place [in Summer 2023] to send Draymond to Memphis… In that trade, Steven Adams would have came back to Golden State along with Dillon Brooks and Tyus Jones," Murdock exclaimed.

Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

He then went on to explain why the hypothetical blockbuster fell through, saying, "The reason why that deal fell through is because Tyus Jones got re-routed to Washington [in the Porzingis-Marcus Smart trade]."

In what would have been a monumental move for both teams coming off of three straight playoff appearances for Memphis and one year removed from a championship for Golden State, it is stunning to look back and see how the move would've changed the landscape for both teams. Now, it seems like the possibility of the Warriors moving off of Green is unlikely.

This article first appeared on Memphis Grizzlies on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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