Draymond Green ‘Salty’ Warriors Didn’t Land Paul George

The Golden State Warriors worked hard to acquire Paul George from the Los Angeles Clippers. He ultimately signed a four-year, $212 million maximum contract with the Philadelphia 76ers in NBA free agency.

Draymond Green is frustrated that the Clippers declined a sign-and-trade deal that would have sent Paul George to the Golden State Warriors.

“Also a little salty about that because, as you all know, Paul George was going to come to the Warriors, and we wanted Paul George to come to the Warriors,” Green said Wednesday on the Draymond Green Show.

“We always talk about these organizations, what they do for their players and what not… and the Clippers didn’t really want to play ball, didn’t really want to help him get to where he wanted to go,” he added.

The sign-and-trade talks between the Warriors and Clippers did not progress since Golden State was unwilling to include Jonathan Kuminga in discussions. Operating over the cap, the Warriors’ only viable pathway to acquiring George required a sign-and-trade.

“So in turn, (the Clippers) get nothing back, whereas you could’ve gotten something back for Paul George walking, they get absolutely nothing back,” Green said. “I kind of understand it, I suppose. You don’t want him in the same division as you, ’cause you may know how that looks if he comes with us.”

The Warriors had envisioned adding George to create a big three alongside Green and Curry. “Would have been nice,” Green said. “Would have been really nice… I think what Paul George could have done if he did come to the Dubs would’ve been amazing.”

With George joining Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, their hope is they have enough talent to at least reach the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in the Embiid era, with a focus on competing for a championship. The Warriors have to find other ways to add talent to return to the postseason at all.

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