Draymond Green has expressed his love/hate relationship with playing in the NBA, agreeing with prior statements made by Nikola Jokic that paints the NBA as a job, and sometimes people hate where they work.
After winning his first NBA Championship with the Denver Nuggets, Jokic jokingly provided an inside glimpse into the mind of NBA players, stating, "Nobody likes his job. Or maybe they do. They're lying."
The message resonated with Green, who recently expressed how he felt about his job in the NBA as a power forward for the Golden State Warriors on the latest episode of Podcast P, an audio show hosted by LA Clippers forward Paul George.
"I love playing basketball, love to compete, but he's not lying. I hate it," said Draymond, in agreeance with Jokic. "I don't want to sound like someone who takes it for granted, but to Joker's point, it's work. And you have to show up to work every day and perform despite what can be going on at work, what can be going on at home, what can be going on in the world. You have to show up and perform, and it's work. There's so much bull**** that comes with it and the politics, but I wouldn't trade my job for the world."
During the offseason, the 11-year NBA veteran Green signed a four-year contract worth $100M (£78.6m) with the Warriors. He had previously opted out of the final year of his previous contract, temporarily making him an unrestricted free agent. Green emphasised his understanding of the business side of the NBA and provided further insight into the game's politics.
He initially sought a maximum contract extension with the Warriors after performing as an integral piece of the Warriors 2022 championship campaign. However, the team prioritised younger players in Jordan Poole and Andrew Wiggins, eliminating his plans to sign a five-year $164 million (£127.7m) max extension.
In the aftermath of the altercation, where Green was shown striking Jordan Poole in the face during a practice session, rumours about a seismic rift between the two individuals have circulated. Poole spoke out after the Warriors Game 6 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers during the NBA Finals, stating that his relationship with Green was strictly professional since joining the team in 2019.
Subsequently, Poole was traded to the Washington Wizards, with Chris Paul acquired by the Warriors in return. Appearing on the All the Smoke podcast in 2020, Green expressed not liking Chris Paul, stating, "I do not like CP at all. We do not have a good relationship at all. But I respect his hustle, and I respect his IQ -- he is smart as hell."
While Green may have altering viewpoints on the All-Star point guard, he is genuinely enthusiastic about gaining knowledge and skills from Paul. Green is especially looking forward to learning how to better develop the younger players on their team, including the promising Jonathan Kuminga.
