The Cleveland Cavaliers plan to sit Andre Drummond while they work to trade him before March 25, and Draymond Green harshly criticized that decision in a post-game rant.
The Warriors star was concerned that a team could publicly state plans to trade a player without a penalty, while fined players for requesting the trade. Green approached reporters after beating the Cavaliers between 129 and 98 at the Chase Center Monday night, quoting James Harden, who was criticized for exiting the Houston Rockets while discussing the situation in Cleveland.
« To see Andre Drummond before the game, sit on the sideline, go back and then come out in street clothes because the team is going to trade him is Bulls-t, » said Green.
The 27-year-old Drummond has not played two games in a row after Cavalier’s general manager Koby Altman decided the two-time All-Star would no longer play games but would stay on the team until a deal was made can be worked out.
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« Sometimes you are forced into difficult positions that are not easy to navigate, » said Cavalier’s head coach J.B. Bickerstaff. « But with regards to (Drummond) and all that he has done and achieved, and as much as he has helped us, we thought this was the best thing for him. »
According to ESPN, the Cavaliers are not having « serious ongoing discussions with a team ». Drummond’s future came into question last month when Cleveland was trading for 22-year-old center Jarrett Allen. Drummond, who makes $ 28.7 million this season, will be an unreserved free agent after the season.
If a trade cannot be reached within the deadline that is more than a month away, a contract purchase may be the only option for Drummond if he wants to play again in front of his free agency.
« At some point we as players have to be treated with the same respect and rights that the team can have, » said Green. “Because as a player you are the worst person in the world when you want a different situation, but a team can say that it’s you and that man has to stay in shape, he has to stay professional and if not, his career is on it Game. “
Over the years, star players have become increasingly determined to shape their careers by making their way to preferred goals. In 2019, Anthony Davis was fined $ 50,000 for demanding a trade with the New Orleans Pelicans. Harden was also fined $ 50,000 in December, despite the reason cited being a violation of the league’s COVID-19 protocol when he was unavailable to start the season.
Green also referred to the mental stress a career of uncertainty can put on players. He pointed to examples of blindsiding players from teams, such as when DeMarcus Cousins found out he was being traded from Sacramento after the 2017 All-Star game, or Harrison Barnes, who in 2019 was caught by the Mavericks in the middle of a close game was traded.
« Do you think this doesn’t affect anyone mentally? But as players that we’ve been told, you can’t say that, you can’t say that, but the teams can, » said Green. « At some point the players have to be respected in these situations.
Ref: https://www.mercurynews.com
