Michigan State Professional Athletes

The Draymond Question

The relationship between Draymond Green and the Golden State Warriors is entering what may be its final chapter. According to a projection from The Sporting News, the Warriors are expected to cut ties with the Michigan State product soon — a development that would mark the end of one of the most consequential partnerships in recent NBA history. Green has been the connective tissue of Golden State's dynasty run, but the clock appears to be ticking on his tenure in San Francisco.

The timing is notable. The Warriors recently released their 2026–27 schedule — featuring Steph Curry and Green as cartoon detectives in promotional materials — but public-facing cheerfulness hasn't quieted the underlying questions about whether Green will actually be suiting up for that brutal late-season slate.

Green Still Has Things to Say

A potential franchise divorce hasn't slowed Green's willingness to stir the pot. The veteran forward went public with sharp criticism of basketball fans following Russell Westbrook's retirement, calling out what he characterized as hypocrisy in how fans evaluate and remember players. It's a familiar posture for Green — outspoken, unflinching, and unconcerned with the optics.

He also waded into the Kawhi Leonard–Clippers scandal, arguing that whatever precedent was being set in that situation poses a broader danger to the league's structure. Green framed it as a power-dynamic issue, positioning himself once again as one of the few active players willing to challenge the NBA establishment directly. Whether he's a Warrior much longer or not, his voice in league discourse remains loud.

The Rest of the Spartan Roster

Green is far from the only Michigan State alum active in the league. Jaren Jackson Jr. is now with the Jazz after his tenure in Memphis, continuing to build on his reputation as one of the game's premier shot-blockers. Max Christie, who developed into a reliable rotation piece in Los Angeles, landed with the Mavericks and figures into Dallas's backcourt plans. Miles Bridges is with the Suns at small forward, while Jase Richardson — son of former NBA guard Jason Richardson — is carving out his own path with the Magic in Orlando.

Gary Harris, a Spartan stalwart who spent years with Denver before moving on, is now with the Pistons. Xavier Tillman is with the Hornets, and Bryn Forbes remains in the league with Minnesota.

No school in the NBA currently has a louder week than Michigan State, and it's all revolving around one player. If Green does move on from Golden State, it will be the most significant offseason storyline connected to any Spartan in recent memory — and Green, true to form, will almost certainly have something to say about it on the way out.

Draymond Green had a week that would exhaust most people — new contract, trade speculation swirling across the league, and a full-blown social media feud with two of his former championship teammates. For the Michigan State alum, it was apparently just Tuesday.

The Contract That Opened a Door

Green re-signed with the Golden State Warriors this week, but the deal came with a notable absence: no no-trade clause. That detail immediately lit up front offices around the league. The Sporting News reported that the contract structure gives Golden State a legitimate mechanism to move Green if it chooses — something that would have been off the table under prior contract terms.

Green himself downplayed the omission, telling reporters it wasn't worth "fighting over." Speaking publicly, he framed the decision as one rooted in trust with the Warriors organization rather than leverage. Yahoo Sports reported Green's stance as straightforward: he simply doesn't care. Whether Golden State feels the same way about keeping him is another question.

The trade chatter has already gotten specific. The Sporting News noted that Green's new contract opens a realistic path for the Warriors to pursue Trey Murphy, with Green's salary potentially serving as a key matching piece in a deal. The Warriors haven't confirmed any such interest, but the framework is there — and the league is paying attention.

Durant Strikes a Match, the Group Chat Explodes

If the contract news wasn't enough, Green also found himself at the center of a very public falling-out among Warriors dynasty alumni. It started when Kevin Durant compared LeBron James' decision to join the Philadelphia 76ers to his own infamous move to Golden State ahead of the 2016–17 season — a comparison that did not land well with his former teammates.

Klay Thompson fired back first, pushing back on Durant's framing and, according to Yahoo Sports, challenging the premise that the situations were remotely equivalent. Green then entered the fray in characteristically Draymond fashion — Yahoo Sports reported he took a shot at Durant via what appeared to be a burner account, adding a layer of absurdity to an already messy public exchange.

Green also addressed Durant's comments more directly in a video response, defending KD's worldview while simultaneously poking holes in it. Per The Sporting News, Green suggested Durant analyzes basketball purely through a scoring lens — a charitable read that still drew laughs given the context of the spat.

The beef is the kind of thing that only happens when dynasty teams age out of their window: too much history, too many opinions, and social media giving everyone a megaphone at 2 a.m.

Meanwhile, in Phoenix

Miles Bridges, now with the Phoenix Suns, got a quieter mention this week. A Yahoo Sports fan survey asked which Suns player would finish as the team's second-leading scorer behind Devin Booker this season, with Bridges listed among the candidates alongside Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks. No resolution there — just an open question heading into camp.

Green's week was the story. Between a contract that practically invites trade calls and a social media war with two future Hall of Famers, the Spartans' most decorated NBA alum hasn't lost his gift for occupying maximum space in the league's conversation.