Draymond Green Mistakenly Thought Luka Doncic Trade Was Warriors Getting Kevin Durant

Before the Golden State Warriors traded for Jimmy Butler in February, they were in talks with the Phoenix Suns to potentially bring Kevin Durant back to Golden State. The Warriors were looking to add another star to boost their chances at winning a fifth title, and Durant previously helped the team win two titles in 2017 and 2018.

Instead of Durant returning to the Warriors, it was the Dallas Mavericks trading Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers that rocked the NBA.

Shortly before the Mavericks stunned the league by trading Doncic though, Draymond Green heard from Warriors owner Joe Lacob that they were closing in on acquiring Durant. When Steph Curry initially asked Green if he'd heard about "the trade," Green thought he meant that the Durant trade was happening.

"When it first happened, we were at the Warriors charity poker tournament. I had just saw Joe Lacob 10 minutes before this happened," Green recalled on Jimmy Kimmel Live. "Joe goes, 'Draymond, I think we're gonna get Kevin Durant. It's right there at the finish line, it's happening, we're getting Kevin Durant back.’ I'm like, 'Oh man, here we go, let's go.' We talk about it. He's like, 'You think it will work?' I'm like, 'Absolutely.' He comes running back to me two later, 'Draymond, Draymond, I wasn't supposed to say anything. Don't say nothing to nobody. I'm like, 'Joe I got you, I won't say anything to anyone.'

Green continued: "We're at this tournament. I go sit down and about 15 minutes later, Steph yells, 'Draymond, you see the trade?' I go, 'It happened!' Steph goes, 'Wait, who?' I said, 'Oh, never mind. Nobody. What happened?' He's like, 'Luka got traded.'"

In a video posted by poker player Alan Keating from the Warriors' charity tournament, Green's reaction was captured. When he realized it was Doncic, not Durant getting traded, Green's expression quickly turned from smiling to shock.

"I couldn't believe it," Green told Kimmel. "Superstars at 25 don't get traded. Luka's a megastar, just coming off the NBA Finals. You just don't see that in the NBA. I immediately wondered, 'I have to be next if Luka's being traded.'"

Durant ultimately turned down the opportunity to get traded to the Warriors because he didn't want to move and get traded midseason. Instead, the Warriors acquired Butler, who proved to be a tremendous match for the team. With Butler, the Warriors went on a run to make the postseason before Curry's hamstring injury kept them from potentially beating the Minnesota Timberwolves and advancing to the Western Conference finals.