Just as the draft was building its anticipation, some teams took time to make moves in the dark. The Boston Celtics in particular, decided to offload some salaries, trading Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis. However, a rather intriguing move came from the New Orleans Pelicans. They made a backcourt swap, replacing the veteran CJ McCollum with the Wizards’ Jordan Poole.

That move gave them a guard for the future. Poole didn’t rise to be a difference maker in Washington. But the Pelicans are young with a promising core led by Zion Williamson. The 26-year-old Poole gets to grow with them side by side. That’s the reason Draymond Green likes the culture where the former Warriors guard will spend his next few years.

With Dejounte Murray out, there’s space for the savvy scorer to improve on his playmaking. Green feels his former teammate has the opportunity to really improve his game with the Pels. “Jordan still has room for growth. I don’t think we’ve seen the best of his growth yet. And I think getting in an organization like New Orleans under Joe Dumar’s leadership, you know, with Willie Green, that’s a coach I think will be a really good situation for him,” he said about the trade.

But what excites him most is the statement made by the Pelicans. They are turning a new page, assembling an entourage of young players who can blend together. Poole’s addition doesn’t just make them younger. Draymond Green feels they could do great things if all of the personalities can intertwine.

via Imago

“I think they become a team that you got to watch out for in the West, you know? They got a lot of talent. They’re going to, if they can put it together, they’re going to creep up and can possibly have a good year. So that’s what I think this move means for the Pelicans,” he said on The Draymond Green Show.

But this wasn’t the only time he had spoken about his former teammate recently. While looking back at his past actions, Draymond Green shared regrets about his incident with Poole.

Draymond Green wishes he did things differently

Whenever there is an internal conflict, nobody suspects anything major. It’s generally players feeling some unrest about their situation or front office disagreements. However, on this occasion, a video of Green punching Jordan Poole sent shockwaves. Nobody thought teammates go through such circumstances.

But the Warriors forward didn’t think much of it. He thought it would pass. Growing up in Michigan, he had gone through such times himself. Green was punched on the court by one of his teammates. Once they went to the locker room, it was like it never happened.

“Move on” is what he thought would be the natural procedure.

But then Draymond Green realized not everybody has gone through his experiences. Poole didn’t simply move on from it. And even though he is one of the veterans on the Warriors, the process of learning never stops for Green. Not only would he do things differently, but Green evolved after one of the worst phases of his career.

“The things you went through, the way you had to come up, he may not have came up like that. So for that five seconds, I forgot where I was at because I immediately went to what I know. But what you know don’t really work here. Yeah. And everybody say, “Oh man, but you was 10 years in. You should know better. Still learning nine years in.” But um it’s them lessons like that that ultimately make me who I am to this day because man, I f—-d that up,” Green said on The Pivot Podcast.

That rift still runs deep to this day. Jordan Poole barely speaks about Green when looking back at his time with the Warriors. Green, on the other hand, has gone through several programs to help manage his feelings. It’s just good to see that despite all that happened, the four-time champion is wishing for the best for Poole. And with the Pelicans, there’s a good chance he takes a leap.