Charles Barkley Has A Warning Message For Draymond Green

Draymond Green gave an impassioned speech pointing out a “double-standard” in the NBA earlier this week after his Golden State Warriors comfortably beat the short-handed Cleveland Cavaliers.

Center Andre Drummond spent the game on the bench after the Cavs announced recently that he would sit until the team found a trade partner for him. The Warriors won the contest in a blow-out, 129-98.

Green used his post-game press conference to give his thoughts on the situation in Cleveland. He also expanded his point to the league as a whole, expressing that he didn’t agree with how players were getting treated as teams tried to execute trades.

“At some point, as players, we need to be treated with the same respect and have the same rights that the team can have,” the Warriors forward said. “Because as a player, you’re the worst person in the world when you want a different situation. But a team can say they’re trading you, and that man is to stay in shape and stay professional. If not, his career is on the line. At some point, this league has to protect the players from embarrassment like that.”

However, not everyone applauded Green for what he said on Monday. NBA Hall of Famer and TNT analyst Charles Barkley urged the 30-year-old to be more mindful of his position before his next rant.

“Draymond has to really be careful,” Barkley said on “The Bill Simmons Podcast” released on Tuesday. “All that stuff is cute when you’re winning. But when you’re in last place, it’s annoying. They (the Cleveland Cavaliers) are trying to protect their asset and they’re gonna trade [Andre Drummond]. They’re doing what’s best for them.

“I think Draymond’s got to start learning you can say what you want to when you’re the champs and you’re in first place. But when you’re in last place, you become the guy who becomes annoying.”

It’s important to note that Golden State is the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference as of Wednesday. Green has also played an impressive veteran role on a new-look Warriors squad.

Also, Barkley just seems to miss the point. Teams are well within their rights to make trades, but Green wasn’t only pointing to the Drummond situation. He simply asked that players receive the same kind of response that organizations get when it comes to transactions.

And Green just started the conversation. As the player empowerment era continues, others are sure to chime in and advocate for extended players’ rights.

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