Stephen A. Smith says Draymond Green would ‘prefer to be a Laker’ rather than play for Golden State

ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith has suggested Draymond Green may be in the final throes of his career as a Golden State Warrior. 

Green has dominated the NBA sphere since video footage was leaked to TMZ of his punch on teammate Jordan Poole during a recent Warriors practice. 

It has cast questions over the future of the four-time NBA champion in the Bay Area, particularly given their salary cap restraints next season. 

‘Golden State has got to re-sign two people,’ Smith explained of the team’s next offseason on Monday’s First Take. 

‘The three people looking to get re-signed is Jordan Poole, Andrew Wiggins, Draymond Green. I can tell you right now, Wiggins and Poole are a priority.

‘I can tell you right now that Draymond Green is expecting this to be his last year in Golden State.

Draymond Green could feasibly link up with LeBron James and the LA Lakers next season

‘Now, he wanna be a Laker,’ Smith said. ‘He ain’t gonna tell anybody that, but don’t think I don’t know. He’d prefer to be a Laker if he gotta leave Golden State.

‘The Warriors are probably hoping he doesn’t opt in, because they’d have to pay him on top of the cash they know they have to pay Poole and Wiggins.’ 

Green has a $27million player option available to him in the offseason, which he is within his rights to exercise. However, given Green’s veteran status and the Warriors looking to trend in a more youthful direction, he may choose to find a new home. 

Ahead of the imminent 2022/23 season, Smith sees an opportunity for the reigning NBA champions to patch up team morale as they look to go back-to-back.   

‘Because of [the punch], this year, I think is very, very salvageable,’ Smith asserted. Because I think the Draymond Green that wants his money knows — especially since this happened — that he’s got to go out there, he’s got to be on his best behavior and he’s got to bring the game of his life if he wants a new extended contract from somebody else other than the Warriors.’   

Green announced his decision to ‘step away’ from the Warriors Saturday at a hastily-arranged press conference in which he apologized for sucker-punching Poole.

Green is stepping away from the team following the incident despite the season approaching

It is unclear when he will be back with the team despite the Warriors’ defense of their NBA title beginning at home to LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers on October 18. 

‘Number one, I was wrong for my actions that took place on Wednesday, and for that I have apologized to my team, I have apologized to Jordan,’ Green said Saturday. ‘I wanted to take that a step further with the event yesterday of the video leaking. 

‘There is a huge embarrassment that comes from that, not just from myself as the one that committed the action, but the embarrassment that Jordan has to deal with, that the team has to deal with, but Jordan’s family. 

‘His mother and father saw that video. Quite frankly, I know if my mother had seen that video, what her reaction, her next step would be. So I apologize to his mother and father.’ 

Green celebrates with the NBA trophy after the Warriors’ victory over the Boston Celtics