NBA Rumors: Draymond Green Reacts To D’Angelo Russell-Andrew Wiggins Blockbuster Deal

After insisting that they intended to keep him long-term on their roster, the Golden State Warriors still ended up moving All-Star point guard D’Angelo Russell before the 2020 February NBA trade deadline. In a blockbuster deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Warriors traded Russell in exchange for Andrew Wiggins and draft picks. In a recent appearance on ABC’s pregame show, which is currently posted on Twitter, Warriors power forward Draymond Green shared his reaction to the trade deadline deal that sent Wiggins to Golden State.

For Green, he strongly believes that the trade was a “great move” for both the Warriors and the Timberwolves.

“I think it was a great move for both sides,” Green said, as quoted by NBC Sports. “I think D’Angelo gets a chance to go to Minnesota and be that franchise point guard, which I think he deserves. And Wiggins coming here at the three, he’s athletic, he can run the floor, he can score the basketball and it’s going to help us create what we want to recreate.”

The deal is indeed beneficial for all parties involved. Aside from addressing the Timberwolves’ major backcourt problem and need for additional star power, it also allowed Russell and Karl-Anthony Towns to fulfill their dream of playing together in one team. Meanwhile, the arrival of Wiggins immediately solved the Warriors’ problem in the wing. Having a fresh start on a team where he would be sharing the court with likes of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Green will lessen the pressure on Wiggins, which could help him find the right path to becoming a legitimate superstar in the league.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Bi4agZ5Bt8

As of now, Green and the Warriors definitely know that Wiggins still has plenty of things that he needs to improve in his game in order to make him a good fit with their system. Aside from his inconsistencies from beyond the arc, Wiggins’ defense has also been a primary concern from the time he set foot in the NBA. However, though they need an improved Wiggins to have a better chance of fully dominating the Western Conference and winning an NBA championship title, Green made it clear that he doesn’t have any intention of using the same approach as Jimmy Butler.

“Absolutely, first of all, I think it’s about building relationships,” Green said. “You can’t yell at anybody or saying anything to anybody if you don’t build a relationship, so it’s all about building that trust first and then I want to help him where I can.”

With the Warriors not expected to contend for the 2020 NBA championship, Wiggins could use the remaining games of the 2019-20 NBA season to prove that he’s a good fit in Golden State. If he fails, rumors are circulating that the Warriors may consider including him in the trade package to acquire an established superstar in the summer of 2020.