The Golden State Warriors are still in a holding pattern when it comes to what will happen with the remainder of the roster as the wait on a decision from superstar forward LeBron James continues. But there’s still some drama cropping up in places around the roster–a Steve Kerr joke to a fan at a traffic signal, for example–a sign that the summer has not begun in earnest. And this is a team that has Draymond Green, which means there will always be a good bit of chatter around.
That was the case this week when Green got a look at the “pitch” that rookie Yaxel Lendeborg made to James to come play for the Warriors. In fairness, Lendeborg was asked the question during last week’s summer league games, and his only real offense was in answering it. But even that relatively harmless act was met with some harsh sentiments from Green.
Green, a friend of James who made a pitch to James himself last weekend, apparently would have preferred Lendeborg to leave the James pitches to the veterans.
Draymond Green: Yaxel Lendeborg Pitch ‘Pointless’
Speaking on his podcast, Green had a sorta-joking response to Lendeborg, a garrulous rookie who was taken with the No. 11 pick in the draft this year.
Said Green: “A lot of people said, ‘Oh, Yaxel gave his pitch to LeBron, what about his pitch?’ He said, ‘I know you don’t like rookies that much but I am not the average rookie. If you’re looking to play with the greatest shooter of all time and Draymond, we’ll be glad to have you.’ Oh, is the pitch too weak or too strong? I don’t know. I think the pitch is pointless.”
Indeed, it’s doubtful that Lendeborg’s thoughts on the subject registered with James at all. And Green could have stopped his diatribe there.
Draymond Green Warns Warriors Training Camp ‘Coming Soon’
Of course, he did not. Green hinted that Lendeborg could be in for a hard time at Warriors training camp, and while that was most likely meant as a lighthearted jibe at the rookie, there are some concerns.
Here’s what Green had to say: “But it’s fine, training camp is coming soon enough and, you know, gotta rein the rookie in a little bit, teach him a few things. Training camp is coming soon enough. I think you all know why I am hinting at training camp. It will get here soon enough, Yax. Enjoy all your media, training camp is on the way, it will be here before you know it. Summer will be gone. Training camp will be here, and the journey starts. Yeah, Yax. It’s on the way.”
Warriors Should Be Cautious on Yaxel Lendeborg
When it comes to Warriors training camp, Green is best known–infamously–for punching teammate Jordan Poole in 2022. Obviously, Green is not suggesting he is going to sucker punch Lendeborg, but it is odd that he would bring up camp at all. And it is also worth remembering that while former Warriors No. 2 overall pick James Wiseman was probably destined to be a bust, he was ridden pretty hard by Green in his first season, and that certainly did not help his confidence.
Lendeborg is the one major change the Warriors made this offseason, and if the team does not land James, he will be critical in boosting the roster’s potential. He is known as a talker himself, and while the hope is that healthy chatter with Green will lead to a good relationship, the Warriors should at least be cautious about engendering a good Green-Lendeborg dynamic.
The Warriors did put Lendeborg’s locker next to that of Stephen Curry, one of the best players in the league in terms of professionalism. So, perhaps, they’ve already considered that dynamic.
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