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Draymond Green put the NBA on blast for its treatment of players. Green spoke on the double standard between how players who want to leave their teams are treated compared to teams that want to move players.
His comments came from seeing the Cleveland Cavaliers’ treatment of Andre Drummond. The Cavs let it known they were trying to trade the two-time All-Star and no longer planned to utilize him whilst he was on the team.
Draymond Green’s comments on the situation brought a lot of attention to how teams treat players they want to trade.
He said: “To watch Andre Drummond before the game sit on the sideline, then go to the back, then come out in street clothes because a team is going to trade him is bulls**t.”
Green also spoke on how James Harden was treated when he wanted to leave, highlighting the difference between how players are treated compared to teams wanting to move players.
He said: “He was castrated for wanting to go to a different team and everybody destroyed that man and yet a team can come out and say ‘oh we want to trade a guy and then that guy is to go sit and if he doesn’t stay professional then he’s a cancer and he’s not good in someone’s locker room and he’s the issue.”
Draymond Green’s comments weren’t just on the treatment of Drummond but he also used the example of Harrison Barnes and DeMarcus Cousins, bringing attention to how their teams treated him.
LeBron James spoke on Instagram about the Harrison Barnes situation back when it happened in 2019.
“So let me guess this is cool cause they had to do what was best for the franchise right???,” He added: “I just want this narrative to start to get REAL/CHANGE and not when a player wants to be traded or leaves a Franchise that he’s a selfish/ungrateful player but when they trade you, release, waive, cut etc etc it’s best for them!
“I’m ok with both honestly, truly am.”
Green also said: ” DeMarcus Cousins finding out that 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 trading guys we’re not playing you and yet we’re to stay professional.” Green, referring to when he said Devin Booker should leave the Pheonix Suns, highlighted a big difference in what players can say compared to teams in the NBA.
“At some point as players, we need to be treated with the same respect and have the same right that the teams can have.
“As a player your the worst person in the world when you want a different situation, but a team can say they 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.”
Whilst Green said a lot of agreeable stuff, there is an argument that players should not be given the same rights as teams because they are employees with a contract to fulfil. Although it is hard to disagree with how unfair teams are when they are moving a player on.
Draymond Green’s comments continued to shine a light on a big problem in the NBA, but whether or not this problem will be solved anytime soon is not likely. But that doesn’t mean the problem doesn’t need attention.
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