Odds Suggest Warriors Won’t Unload Draymond Green Despite Fight with KD

• Draymond Green’s future with the Warriors has come into question following a public spat with Kevin Durant
• Will Golden State unload Green to appease KD?
• Can the Warriors keep calm and carry on in spite of the perceived internal turmoil?

Warriors teammates Draymond Green and Kevin Durant nearly broke the Internet on Tuesday evening when they engaged in a heated exchange on Golden State’s sidelines during an overtime loss to the Hawks. The conversation came just moments after Green booted the ball with time running out and the game tied at 106 apiece.

Kevin Durant and Draymond Green get into an argument at the end of regulation against the Clippers last night. pic.twitter.com/wG7ILKYWou

— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) November 13, 2018

Within minutes, amateur lip readers around the country were eagerly reporting that Green called Durant a “bitch” five times, while KD allegedly retorted, “This is why I’m out.”

Green’s fiery comments prompted the Warriors to suspend him for one game without pay, and have led a number of online sportsbooks to postulate about his future in Golden State.

Odds the Warriors Will Trade Draymond Green by the NBA Trade Deadline

Let’s pump the brakes for a second. The Warriors are NOT unloading Green. The former Defensive Player of the Year is a three-time All-Star and four-time All-Defensive Team selection who has been an integral part of Golden State’s last three championship squads. He leads the team in rebounds, assists, and steals, and is posting the second highest field goal percentage of his seven-year career.

Is he a loudmouth? Absolutely. Can he occasionally be a pain in the ass? Most certainly, but you don’t give up on a player with Green’s intangibles because of a few nasty words.

Saturday night, Draymond Green added another kick to his reel in the last six months. pic.twitter.com/iEetk0yJKW

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) December 5, 2016

Green’s comments were far from flattering, but they’re also not out of character. We’re talking, after all, about a player whose signature move is kicking opponents in the nuts. Green is a self-proclaimed agitator who often says – and does – things without thinking. Sure, he may not be your first choice to teach a class in etiquette, but his passion and outspoken nature are what makes him a tremendous player and leader.

Steve Kerr on if he fears any long-term implications with this Draymond-Kevin incident: “I think we’ll be fine.” pic.twitter.com/5GgVcHc5gY

— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) November 14, 2018

Steve Kerr, who knows a thing or two about player skirmishes, has done his best to downplay the confrontation. “When you play at a really high level, and you’re competitive, things happen,” he said when addressing the media. “Every team that I’ve ever been on, things have happened.”

Odds the Warriors Will Suspend Draymond Green Again this Season

Oddsmakers believe the Warriors are done docking Green’s pay, and we tend to agree. The one-game suspension, which cost him approximately $120,000, was meant to be a message to keep his behavior in check and treat his teammates with respect.

Green will doubtlessly still rack up his customary 12 techs this season, but the Warriors can live with that so long as he vents his frustration on the refs and opposing players rather than Durant.

I love how Draymond Green hates Kevin Durant b/c of how he’s dealing with free agent rumors. Oh, so it was OK rumor-wise when you were wooing him from OKC, but now it’s happening TO you, it’s not OK. Got it.

— Jason Smith (@howaboutafresca) November 15, 2018

The bigger question is how this recent fracas will impact the free agency of Durant, who can hit the open market this summer. Will Green’s words still sting in June, or will both players be able to put the incident behind them after leading the Warriors to a third straight NBA championship? It’s a storyline that bears watching, and one that will likely unfold on a burner account near you.