Nearly every blockbuster trade in professional sports is bittersweet.
The Warriors have enjoyed what they've seen from Jimmy Butler since acquiring him in a trade before last week's NBA deadline. In doing so, though, they shipped fan favorite Andrew Wiggins to the Miami Heat along with Kyle Anderson, in addition to trading Dennis Schroder and Lindy Waters III to the Detroit Pistons in the multi-team deal.
While Golden State's Butler addition was exciting for obvious reasons, it also led Draymond Green to a somber realization.
"A part of you is obviously excited. Man, we got a chance now. The switch flips fast," Green said on "The Draymond Green Show with Baron Davis." "And then you settle to reality like man, 'All right, so who's gone?' Wiggs, Dennis, Kyle and Lindy. And you're like, damn. Because regardless of how this year had been going, the vibe of the team was still great. You enjoy being around them every day. With Wiggs, obviously, it's been six years where we've been playing together. Watching his growth from coming to a place where everyone's saying, 'Yo, this dude's a bust, he's never going to be it,' to earning the name 'Two-Way Wiggs' and helping lead us to another championship. Collecting his first NBA ring.
"To go through that with someone, there's an obvious relationship. Now I rock with Wiggs on a different level. In Toronto every summer, kicking it with him. Been through some real stuff with Wiggs. Living a couple years and him dealing with his father being sick and being away from the team and keeping that low. We've been through some real stuff. He's had two kids since I met him. He's become a brother. To see him go, it sucked."
The Minnesota Timberwolves traded Wiggins to the Warriors in the midst of the 2019-20 NBA season and was welcomed to Golden State with open arms. It didn't take long for Dub Nation to embrace and adore him, especially during the 2021-22 season in which he helped lead the team to its fourth NBA championship in eight seasons and was named an All-Star for the first time in his career.
His contagious smile and humble heart made it easy for fans, teammates and coaches to connect with him.
Golden State Warriors
In 307 games (295 starts) over six seasons with Golden State, Wiggins averaged 16.7 points on 46.4-percent shooting from the field and 38.1 percent from 3-point range, with 4.7 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 31 minutes.
Green admitted it was difficult to find the right words to say goodbye to Wiggins, adding he tried to use humor to lighten the mood.
Get a weekly recap of the latest San Francisco Bay Area housing news. Sign up for NBC Bay Area’s Housing Deconstructed newsletter.
"I tried to make a joke like, 'You going to Miami, it ain't that bad of a place. You're going to save some money and taxes, send me some bread,' " Green said. "But just not knowing what to say."
While the initial goodbye took some time to fathom and now that the dust has settled, Green knows the move can be beneficial for all parties involved. He's excited to have Butler on his side as the Warriors push for a playoff spot, but he's also looking forward to what Wiggins will accomplish in South Beach.
And the bar is set high for the newest member of Miami.
"In saying that, it's a great opportunity for him to continue to build," Green concluded. "He's a champion. I think he's going to go to Miami and have great years and guess what? Don't be surprised if Wiggs is an All-Star again next year."
