Did Draymond Green Hint That a Michael Porter Jr. Trade Is Coming?

On the latest episode of his podcast, Draymond Green made a comment that could be a hint that the Warriors have a trade in place for Michael Porter Jr.

Or it could be nothing.

While discussing Porter for being his December choice for the "who made the jump" award, Green said the following:

"He's made himself a very valuable asset for the Brooklyn Nets. We shall see what they do with it over the next nine days, but I respect what Mike said. Mike said, 'I want to be here.'"

It's possible Green recorded this podcast a couple of days ago, which would mean the "over the next nine days" comment would line up exactly with when Jonathan Kuminga is first eligible to be traded on Jan. 15.

ClutchPoints' Brett Siegel was among the media members who commented on the timing of his "next nine days" quote.

Even If This Is Nothing, It's a Good Sign for the Dubs That Green Is Praising MPJ

In the 2024 offseason, the Warriors were rumored to be targeting Jazz big man Lauri Markkanen. They ultimately did not meet Utah's asking price, and we'll never know for sure how close they were to getting him.

More than a year later, ESPN's Anthony Slater wrote the following:

"Green even told [Mike] Dunleavy and controlling owner Joe Lacob the summer prior not to green-light a trade for Lauri Markkanen, considering the Utah Jazz were asking for all the draft picks and young players."

To be fair to Green, he never said he didn't think Markkanen was a great player. But the fact that he's publicly praising Porter suggests he'd be on board with a trade for him.

How Much Will Porter Cost?

A league source speculated to NBC Sports Bay Area's Dalton Johnson that Porter will cost two first-round picks, which feels right.

If the Warriors can get him for two firsts—even if they are unprotected—and the money-matching trio of Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody and Buddy Hield, they shouldn't hesitate to make the deal.

The problem is the Nets reportedly don't want Kuminga, and it's tricky to find a third team that has something it is willing to give up that the Nets might also want.

Some have speculated that the Sacramento Kings can trade Malik Monk to Brooklyn in a three-team construction, but I'd be surprised if the Nets have any interest in Monk, a 27-year-old inefficient scorer with major defensive issues.

But at some point the Nets will have to decide if they're really willing kill this trade concept due to disliking Kuminga, who essentially has an expiring contract.

The Warriors have the most valuable picks that the Nets can get. Even if they don't want Kuminga, they could take him on to get those Golden State draft assets.