Warriors owner Joe Lacob shoots down Draymond Green trade chatter

The Warriors are sticking to their story. And they’re sticking to it loudly.

This time, it’s governor Joe Lacob stepping in to swat down reports that Draymond Green was ever part of Golden State’s trade conversations for Giannis Antetokounmpo before the Feb. 5 deadline.

Speaking with Tim Kawakami of the San Francisco Standard, Lacob backed up what GM Mike Dunleavy Jr. said earlier this month, insisting Green’s name was never actually in play.

“He was never discussed in a trade,” Lacob said. “Mike was 100% correct. He took a lot of heat for it, and I get why it looked defensive. But Draymond was never shopped. He’s a core person in this franchise. You don’t trade a Draymond Green unless you absolutely have to — and only if you’re clearly improving your team.”

Dunleavy echoed that sentiment two days after the deadline, noting that while teams may have called to ask about Green, the Warriors never included him in any offers.

That’s where the gray area comes in.

Ahead of the deadline, ESPN’s Anthony Slater reported Green was “involved in the framework” of potential offers to Milwaukee. Meanwhile, Brett Siegel reported the Warriors gave an emphatic “no” when asked if Green was truly available.

Both things can be true. Frameworks get discussed. Formal offers get made. And sometimes, lines don’t cross.

Green admitted the rumors weighed on him, but he remains with the only franchise he’s ever known. Still, this probably isn’t the last time his name pops up.

The 35-year-old holds a $27.7 million player option for 2026-27, and summers have a way of reopening doors everyone swore were closed.