After a 129-98 blowout victory against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green went on a tirade in his post-game presser. Green highlighted the treatment of players who NBA teams want to trade, in contrast to the negative light players face when they request a trade.
Andre Drummond � dressed in street clothes as his Cavaliers took on the Warriors � was the backbone of Green’s rant. The Cavaliers have reportedly transitioned to Jarrett Allen as their full-time Center and have decided to sit Drummond until they can find a suitable trade.
“I would like to talk about something that’s really bothering me,” Green began. “And it’s the treatment of players in this league. To watch Andre Drummond, before the game, sit on the sidelines, then go to the back, and to come out in street clothes because a team is going to trade him, it’s bulls***.”
Green went on to contrast the team’s decision to sit Drummond with several scenarios: James Harden’s request for a trade three months ago that landed him on the Nets; the Mavericks trading Kings forward Harrison Barnes and pulling him out mid-game; Rockets forward DeMarcus Cousins enjoying an all-star game press conference, as media members inform him he has been traded; and finally, how the NBA fined Green $50,000 for publicly stating Suns guard Devin Booker should request for a trade.
“And we’re seeing situations of Harrison Barnes getting pulled off the bench, or DeMarcus Cousins finding out he’s traded in an interview after the All-Star Game, and we continue to let this happen. But I got fined for stating my opinion on what I thought should happen with another player, but teams can come out and continue to say, ‘Oh, we’re trading guys, we’re not playing you.’ And yet, we’re to stay professional. At some point, as players, we need to be treated with the same respect and have the same rights the team can have. Because as a player, you’re the worst person in the world when you want a different situation, but a team can say they’re trading you, and that man is to stay in shape; he is to say professional, and if not, his career is on the line. At some point, this league has to protect the players from embarrassment like that.”
Green continued his point, calling attention to the stress players endure on their mental health when a team makes public of their desire for a trade. He concluded his 3-minute tirade demanding respect for players and took off wishing good night to media members.
Green tied a career-high 16 assists in the Warriors’ win Monday night. Nonetheless, he clearly had more important matters on his mind.
