Amidst Draymond Green’s indefinite suspension, the Golden State Warriors find themselves navigating the challenges of playing without their defensive linchpin and vocal leader. This season has witnessed Green’s suspension twice already, and the latest one lacks a specified end date.

Speculation has arisen that the Warriors might be growing weary of Green’s recurrent distractions. In response, Andy Bailey of Bleacher Report has proposed five hypothetical trades that would see Green departing Golden State, with one scenario placing him with the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Rui Hachimura and Jaxson Hayes.

From a financial perspective, Bailey suggests that such a move would offer Golden State a degree of flexibility, given Hachimura’s lower salary and an earlier contract expiration. Additionally, Bailey highlights basketball-related considerations, noting that Hachimura could enhance Golden State’s floor spacing, while Hayes would contribute much-needed size. However, it’s crucial to acknowledge that Green’s impact on the Warriors likely surpasses the potential contributions of Hachimura and Hayes.

Furthermore, Warriors GM Mike Dunleavy has publicly affirmed the team’s commitment to Green, despite the recent incident.

“We’re committed to him,” Dunleavy stated regarding Green. “He’s been here a long time, he’s hung a ton of banners and means so much to this organization. Like I said before, I think this about turning this thing into a positive and getting better. So I think if that happens then we feel really good because his play has been terrific. It’s just been his lack of availability that has not been great, and we wanna make that better.”