Golden State Warriors Rumors: NBA exec thinks Draymond Green punch still 'dragging down' the defending champs

The Golden State Warriors made headlines for the wrong reasons at the start of the season. Draymond Green punching Jordan Poole during practice overshadowed the start of their championship defense. The latest rumors suggest that Green's punch is still affecting the defending champions.

According to a Western Conference executive, the Warriors should trade Green ahead of the Feb. 9 deadline. The executive told Sean Deveney of Heavy Sports that Green's presence in Golden State's locker room could be affecting them and should just focus on the young players they are unwilling to trade.

"They should (trade Green)," the exec said. "If they made the decision that they're not giving up any of the young kids, then that's fine. But are you going to just keep chugging forward with what you've got? Obviously, the Draymond punch with Poole was a bigger deal than they let on. It is still dragging down that team, no doubt about it."

It was the same sentiment of Sean Deveney's source last month. The executive told Deveney that Draymond Green's incident with Jordan Poole changed the Golden State Warriors' dynamic. It reached a point wherein the bond between the players is not the same as it used to be.

"You talk to people there and the whole thing still is sitting over the whole team," the exec said. "The camaraderie is not the same. The way guys open up to one another, that is not there. And you can't force it to be there. You talk to guys who have been there a while, and there is a coldness that that team does not usually have."

The Warriors got off to a bad start this season, but have steadily improved halfway through the campaign. They are currently fifth in the Western Conference standings with a record of 28-26.

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Draymond Green's influence on Golden State Warriors front office no longer the same

Steve Kerr and Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors

Draymond Green's voice used to have an impact on the Golden State Warriors' front office decisions. However, the incident with Jordan Poole affected his standing within the organization. Green no longer has the same influence in terms of pitching potential moves for the team, as a Western Conference executive.

"Normally, it would be Draymond who would be the one making noise with the front office about," the executive told Sean Deveney of the Heavy Sports. "'You need to do this and that,' but things are different with Draymond now after the Poole incident. He is not going to make more waves there."

Green could also opt out of his contract with the Warriors at the end of the season to become a free agent. He has already been linked to several teams such as the LA Lakers, Dallas Mavericks and Detroit Pistons.