Draymond Green isn’t a fan of Cory Joseph leaving the Warriors.
On Thursday, before the NBA trade deadline, Golden State traded the 32-year-old guard and cash to the Indiana Pacers in exchange for a 2024 second-round draft pick.
On Friday’s episode of the “The Draymond Green Show,” the Warriors forward picked up the microphone and shared why Joseph’s departure from Golden State hurts.
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“That trade sucks,” Green said. “And it doesn’t suck from a trading standpoint. It sucks for me as a player who has gotten to build a relationship with Cory Jo, one of the most professional guys I’ve ever seen. [He] works every single day.
“Dude will play pick-up with the young guys because he knows he’s not playing tons of minutes, and then gets put in the game the same night. Year 13. Again, we’re talking about backup point guards, young fellas. Year 13. This guy is still playing pickup every day. [He’s] still getting on a treadmill and [running] after every game. [He does] all of these things, true professional.”
In his lone, half-season season with the Warriors, Joseph averaged 2.4 points and 1.6 assists in 11.4 minutes per game over 26 games.
The Canada-born guard signed a one-year contract worth roughly $3.2 million in July, per Spotract, making his stay shorter than expected, which is no surprise to Green at all.
Golden State Warriors
“And sometimes, it’s just a numbers game and that’s what people should understand about this,” Green added. “It’s a numbers game and sometimes it just goes out. Unfortunately, that’s what happened to Cory Jo. Cory Jo is a huge reason why the chemistry on this team is as good as it is.
“The energy that he brings every single day. It sucks to see him go, and he will be missed around here. That’s for certain.”
From one champion to another, Green is hoping the 13-year NBA veteran, who reportedly will be waived by Indiana, per Adrian Wojnarowski, can find a new home and bow out of the league on his own terms.
After all, there are very few players that Green has played with in his 12-year NBA career that match the professionalism and dedication that Joseph showcased in Golden State.
"[I’m] hoping to see Cory Jo get picked up by a team and end his career – however many years that are left – on the note that he wants to end his career on because he deserves that,” Green said. “They way he’s been in this league, the professional that he is, a bunch of teams can use a Cory Jo on their team.
“Ask him, like I said, sometimes it’s just a numbers game and it just doesn’t work out. But Cory Jo, thanks for what you brought to this team, the vibes you brought every day, the bourré games were great. And this ain’t no end, man. I got mad love for Cory Jo; definitely going to stay in touch with him.”