Warriors’ Draymond Green faces an indefinite suspension for striking Suns’ Jusuf Nurkic, adding to a series of incidents over the past 18 months, including an altercation with teammate Jordan Poole. Despite Green’s recent four-year, $100 million contract extension, trade rumors circulate, with the Los Angeles Lakers considered a potential partner.

According to an anonymous league executive who spoke with Heavy on Sport’s Sean Deveney, the Lakers could be the ideal trade destination due to LeBron James’ ability to manage Green’s behavior.

“If you were to get him out of Golden State, there’s really only one team that could possibly trade for him. That’s the Lakers,” the executive said. “No one else could really handle what he’s bringing. LeBron James could. Draymond has been kissing up to LeBron for a couple of years now…It’s not just the on-court stuff and the fights and all of that. But the contract. The approach—there are not a lot of teams he would want to play for. All of that. Our team, our owner, we could not handle a Draymond Green trade. Most people would say that same thing. The Lakers could handle it, though. I doubt they want to. But they could.”

While Green has been a crucial part of the Warriors for over a decade, a trade might be considered if the team feels it’s necessary. The Lakers emerge as a logical option given Green’s documented friendship with LeBron James.

Renowned for his generational defensive skills, Green could bring a championship mindset to the Lakers, aiding LeBron in pursuing another title. However, the likelihood of the Warriors trading Green to a championship rival remains uncertain, unless they opt for a rebuilding phase. Nevertheless, surprises are not uncommon in the NBA.