Negative: Age
This is the biggest negative that comes to mind when pondering a Draymond Green trade to pair him with an up-and-coming Atlanta Hawks core.
Green will turn 30 throughout the course of the 2019-20 season, making him almost a decade older than the main fixtures on the Atlanta Hawks. Would the team want to keep Green around long-term on a deal that will likely not be cost-effective?
Also, there’s no question that Green’s athleticism is waning. While once a fearsome attacker of the rim in transition, his vertical lift has considerably lowered over this past season, and his numbers were affected. Green only saw action in 66 games this season, which was a career-low, and he posted his lowest per-game numbers in points, blocks, rebound and three-point shooting since either his first or second season.
Of course, this negative is a moot point if Green only sticks around for one season, helping to bridge the gap between a high-upside “fun story” Hawks team and a long-term, playoff-hardened contender – which is an element that Green can certainly provide, making his age more of a positive contributing factor.
Still though, will a Green with lesser athleticism be able to feast in transition alongside the galloping John Collins and Trae Young?