NBA Rumours: Golden State Warriors might consider trading Draymond Green

Stephen Curry is back from his recent groin injury and naturally, the Golden State Warriors have started looking good again as this NBA season progresses. They beat the strong Milwaukee Bucks side the day before, even with Draymond Green still sidelined with a toe injury.

With this win, the Warriors have improved to 18-9 for the season and return to the top of the Western Conference standings. However, there are some problems that need to be addressed shortly. Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson are about to hit their free agency - while Green will also be a free agent in 2020.

If they decide to keep both Durant and Thompson, they would only be able to do that by offering them max contracts. Should they do that, Green would most probably be devoid of one, which will create some problems and ultimately result in Green's departure from the Warriors.

The 28-year-old is expected to return to action this week, but will he remain a Warrior for much longer?

According to a report from the SF Chronicle:

As the 28-year-old nears 30, it’s worth wondering whether his playing style could take a toll on his body and lead to a major dip in production. Just last season, he dealt with nagging right shoulder soreness, a swollen elbow, knee soreness and a bruised pelvis. A sprained right toe has already forced Green to miss 12 games this season.

The Warriors will take all this into account as he gets closer to free agency in the summer of 2020. At this point, they hope to keep Green as long as they can - but if he decides he deserves a max deal and Golden State isn't comfortable offering one, the two sides could part ways. Anything is possible.

This piece clearly states that if Green asks for a max deal, Warriors are unlikely to provide him with one. There can be two reasons for this - first, his health and persistent injury toll can have a damaging effect, particularly should he be sidelined during a key stretch of the season, or once the Playoffs start.

Second, the increased cost of contracts and luxury taxes for the Warriors is something that has been gradually piling on for a while. With all of that in mind, there are strong chances that Golden State will let Green go in the near future - although a lot also depends on the result of this season, given they're expected to win their third successive NBA title once 2018/19 is concluded.