Draymond Green and Harrison Barnes were both selected by the Warriors in the 2012 NBA Draft. They played together for four seasons, and they won a championship with Golden State in 2015. So, they must have a close relationship, right? Uh, not exactly.
On the latest episode of "The Draymond Green Show," the former Defensive Player of the Year told Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard that he believes Barnes still holds a grudge against him because Green helped recruit Kevin Durant to the Warriors in 2016. Green told ESPN's Zach Lowe in 2017 that he called Warriors general manager Bob Myers and Durant after Golden State blew a 3-1 lead against Cleveland in the 2016 NBA Finals, and Durant signed with the Warriors later that summer.
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With Durant on his way to the Bay Area, Barnes knew it was time for him to leave. The Warriors renounced Barnes' rights, making him an unrestricted free agent, and he signed a four-year, $94 million deal with the Mavericks.
"Harrison Barnes, I think, to this day, still don't like me for KD coming here," Green told Lillard. "And the reality is, I didn't tell [Myers] to trade you to bring KD in. The reality is, if KD did come in and you were still here, you maybe [would have] had — you would have had to come off the bench. It's f—ing Kevin Durant. It just is what it is.
"I didn't tell them to trade you. But he took it very personally because of that story that came out that I cried to KD in the car. He took it very personally at me."
While Golden State didn't officially trade Barnes, the front office's moves during free agency were essentially viewed as a Barnes-for-Durant swap. Durant was a huge upgrade for the Warriors, as they went on to win back-to-back championships the next two years. They simply couldn't pass on an opportunity to acquire a player of Durant's caliber, and the results speak for themselves.
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Barnes may understand the business side of the NBA, but apparently, time hasn't healed all wounds.
"So, for instance, [Barnes] invites Steph [Curry], Klay [Thompson], everybody to his wedding except me," Green said. "All these dudes were at the same meeting that I was at with KD. They were all there, too. However, I didn't take it personally because it is what it is. Like, I wasn't invited to the wedding. It is what it is. I thought it was funny. I thought it was funnier than anything.
"But, in that same light, it sucks that you got traded, but you went and made your money. You went and got a great deal. You're still making money."
You can watch Green's full conversation with Lillard below. (The Barnes topic comes up around the 43:30 mark.)
