Draymond Green denies quote that ruined the Warriors dynasty

When Draymond Green and Jordan Poole engaged in a physical altercation in 2022, the beginning of the end seemed to arrive for the Golden State Warriors' dynasty. Golden State was fresh off of winning its fourth title in seven seasons, with both Green and Poole playing essential roles.

Three years after the incident and two years removed from a long-believed report, Green has publicly disputed the information that circulated about the cause of the issue.

On a 2023 episode of Pablo Torre Finds Out, it was reported that Poole told Green, "You're an expensive backpack for 30," before the physical altercation took place. The quote was referenced again in a post on Threads, which Green directly responded to.

After two years of silence, Green contested the report that Poole had hurled the aformentioned insult at him by simply calling cap.

Green didn't specify what it was that actually transpired, but it appears as though what was once believed as true has been disproven—or at least contested.

Draymond Green denies 2023 report of Jordan Poole altercation

Turn the clocks back to 2022 and it appeared as though Poole would be one of the players who helped Golden State extend its dynastic dreams. He averaged 18.5 points, 4.0 assists, 3.4 rebounds, and 2.8 three-point field goals made per game in 2021-22, shooting at a clip of .448/.364/.925.

Poole raised his game in the playoffs, averaging 17.0 points on .508/.391/.915 shooting as the Warriors won the title without going to a single Game 7.

Unfortunately, the altercation between Green and Poole marked the unofficial end of that dream. After steadily increasing his efficiency during the first three years of his Warriors career, Poole's shooting numbers fell off a cliff as questions of fit suddenly presented themselves.

Poole was traded to the Washington Wizards the next summer and Golden State went back to the drawing board as it searched for ways to overcome the loss of his highest form.

Much has happened since then, including Poole quietly rediscovering an efficient level of play in 2024-25 and the Warriors acquiring Jimmy Butler. Poole is now preparing for his first season with the New Orleans Pelicans, while Butler is going through his first offseason with Golden State.

Ideally, both sides will be able to turn over a new leaf and experience success that puts the memory of what went wrong behind them.

Green appears to have contributed to that result by preventing the spread of misinformation. Perhaps there will come a time when either Green and Poole will speak openly about what transpired, but until then, speculation merely rubs salt in old wounds.

That's an outcome that Green appears eager to avoid after two years of allowing the story to rest and a failed retelling of it on social media.