Ahead of the NBA trade deadline on February 8, 2024, the rumors surrounding the Los Angeles Lakers are only growing louder. Bill Simmons of The Ringer is one of the biggest fans of the NBA trade machine.
The analyst thinks it’s time for Draymond Green to go from the Golden State Warriors. According to Simmons, the Lakers would send Austin Reaves to Golden State in exchange for Green in a crazy trade proposal. Simmons thinks the Warriors would also need to include a player similar to Moses Moody in the deal, given Green’s erratic play this season.
Let’s examine if the Warriors or Lakers can benefit from this blockbuster trade proposal.
If the Warriors were prepared to put the Draymond Green incident behind them, it would not come as a surprise. The four-time All-Star struck Suns center Jusuf Nurkić during a game on December 12 and is currently serving an indefinite suspension.
Why the Lakers would want to trade Reaves for Green is the key question. Simmons explains why a deal of this nature might be considered by both teams.
In an episode of his own podcast that aired on December 28, 2023, Simmons said, “Because you could conceivably make a Draymond Green for Austin Reaves trade in the next couple weeks.” “Let’s say the Lakers are playing at a.500 level. Do they talk themselves into that situation? Does Golden State need to include [Moses] Moody in order for that to work?
Do they need to include any more contracts? All I like is the trade. I’m not claiming it will occur. In theory, I like the [trade], but I’m not reporting it. Golden State doesn’t seem to need Draymond. It’s time for them to trade him, in my opinion, and I think they should trade him.
