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Draymond Green had his best half of the season on Monday night. He finished with 17 points, four rebounds, six assists, and two steals in the second half. He went 5-6 shooting from the field, 2-2 from 3-point range, and 5-6 from the free-throw line. The Golden State Warriors star attributed his performance to being motivated by trash talk from a courtside fan, stating:
"Everyone on our team heard the guy on the baseline talking - or on the sideline - and everyone, including our coaches, were like, 'Draymond, shut him up'. It wasn't just me that fed off that. I think everybody fed off that. Shout out to that guy."
Green elaborated on the chatter from the fan, adding:
"He kept saying, 'you think you're a Hall of Famer? I better not ever hear you say that again'. I'm like that, bro, I've been like that. Don't do that. Sometimes you gotta, what they say, let a sleeping dog lie. He should've just let me stay where I was. It wasn't here. It wasn't here so I appreciate it."
Green's Hall of Fame candidacy has been heavily debated among fans as his accolades and statistics tell two different stories. His career averages of 8.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.0 blocks per game would be on the low end for a Hall of Fame player. However, they do not tell the full story as to Green's true value.
He has helped lead the Golden State Warriors to four titles in his first ten seasons while also being named to two All-NBA Teams, four All-Star Teams, and seven All-Defensive Teams. Additionally, Green was named the 2016-2017 Defensive Player of the Year and has won two gold medals while being named a consensus All-American in college.
Watch Draymond Green's full comments on the trash talk from a courtside fan below:
Draymond Green acknowledges that he may not retire with the Golden State Warriors
Draymond Green has the ability to opt out of the final season of his four-year, $99.7 million contract this offseason. The Golden State Warriors star shared that he is aware he may not retire with the only franchise he has known as a professional. Speaking with Taylor Rooks of Bleacher Report, Green stated:
"Quite frankly, the writing's on the wall. I understand the business. We tend to get into this mindset of someone owes us something because of what we've accomplished. You'd be an idiot to walk around feeling that way.
"You're just setting yourself up for failure. You're setting yourself up for heartbreak. You're setting yourself up for disappointment. As opposed to saying, 'no, let me learn this business'. If you don't get to know the business then you can be blindsided and be like, 'oh man well, everything I've done there, I thought I'd be there forever.'
"I would love to be, but I understand the luxury tax. I understand you got these young guys and contracts up and they have to get paid. I understand all of those things, and so, just for me, that's what I mean by the writing's on the wall."
Watch Draymond Green discuss potentially leaving the Golden State Warriors below:
If Draymond Green exercises his player option, the Warriors could end up paying over $500 million on their roster between player salary and their luxury tax bill. While he is important to what the franchise does, they will have to decide if it they believe another player can fill his role for a fraction of the cost.
Guess the Lakers players!
