Why Warriors star Draymond Green doesn't mind hate he gets from other NBA fans
Draymond Green never has shied away from the villain’s role.
The Warriors forward joined streamer Kai Cenat on Tuesday, and he gave a very Green-esque response when asked how he deals with the hate he receives.
“I’d rather be hated,” Green said. “If you’re not going to love me, I’d rather be hated. You know why? Because at least you have an opinion about me. If I just sit in the middle, I don’t move the needle either way. So… with me, you either love me or you hate me. If you hate me, like, that’s your business because you really don’t know me.
“So, if you’re going to spend your time, waste your time, the energy that it takes to hate a human being, or anything. The energy that it takes you to spend. If you’re going to hate me and you don’t know me, then your life’s what?”
The four-time All-Star is commonly voted among the most disliked players in the NBA, but it’s incredibly evident that it doesn’t bother the 35-year-old.
“Why would I care that she hates me or he hates me," Green said. "That s--t ain’t going to pay a bill, it ain’t going to take away from a bill. … People also hate those that win because most people lose.”
Oilers Cleared in Evander Kane LTIR Investigation
The NHL has closed its investigation into the Edmonton Oilers' usage of long-term injured reserve (LTIR) and found no wrongdoing, NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly told reporters Tuesday. As a result, the Oilers will not receive any punishment, either retroactive or for the upcoming season.
The investigation centered on Edmonton's handling of forward Evander Kane, who did not play at all during the regular season but returned for Game 2 of the first-round series against the Los Angeles Kings. He then scored six goals and 12 points in 21 playoff games while averaging 16:29 of ice time to help the Oilers reach their second-straight Stanley Cup Final, where they once again lost to the Florida Panthers.
Kane being on LTIR took his $5.125 million cap hit off the Oilers' books, which helped them acquire defenseman Jake Walman and forward Trent Frederic at the trade deadline. The Oilers were far from the first team to use this loophole to add players at the deadline, but for unknown reasons, the league decided to look into their usage of it more closely.
The league is set to close this loophole with the new CBA, which won't fully go into effect until the 2026-27 season, but some changes are already going into effect this season.
Starting this season, teams will be retired to ice a cap-compliant lineup for each playoff game, whereas the salary cap previously ceased to take effect once the postseason rolled around. Teams such as the Panthers, Tampa Bay Lightning and Vegas Golden Knights have iced lineups far above the cap in previous years, though not without significant controversy.
Teams will also receive less LTIR relief for injured players, now capping out at around $3.8 million for one player instead of their full cap hit. This has already had major ramifications around the league, most recently forcing the Montreal Canadiens to trade the contract of legendary goaltender Carey Price after previously having his entire $10.5 million cap hit off the books for the past few years.
The Oilers traded Kane, 34, to the Vancouver Canucks this offseason in exchange for a 2025 fourth-round pick. The trade was mostly to clear his salary with major extensions due over the next year and change.
Kane scored 62 goals and 111 points in 162 regular season games during his time in Edmonton, plus 26 goals and 42 points in 68 postseason games.
