While every basketball player at some point in his life aspires to play in the NBA, the league can sometimes be a little cruel. From getting traded during an ongoing game to instant firings, many have faced the ruthless side of the NBA. However, despite getting into multiple controversies and facing suspension six times over his twelve-year career, Draymond Green claims that he is yet to see the nasty side of Adam Silver’s league. And the seasoned veteran gave all credit to his beloved Warriors franchise for keeping him away from such a harsh reality.

Making an appearance on Shaquille O’Neal’s The Big Podcast, Draymond discussed the possibility of him leaving the Warriors in pursuit of another ring before he retires. As Shaq presented Green with a scenario where he had the option to join the Suns Big 3 next season and help them win, Draymond claimed he would think about that only on one condition, “I think that’d be a hell of an opportunity, but the Warriors would have to not want me anymore.”

Having been a part of the franchise for over a decade, Draymond revealed that he has always been treated well in Golden State and has no ill will against them. Also, there were times when his veteran leaders, Andre Iguodala and Shaun Livingston, warned him about the business side of the NBA. But the Warriors franchise always stood by Draymond through the good, the bad, and the ugly, making him proudly say, “I don’t know the real nasty side of the business of the NBA. I never had to see that.”

Even this year, when Draymond got suspended twice, first for choking Rudy Gobert and later for hitting Jusuf Nurkic, the Warriors did everything to get him through that tough time. Moreover, his teammates and head coach always spoke of him positively and motivated him to work through his issues. Thankful for how he has been treated in Golden State amid all the criticism from the outside world, Draymond revealed that he would rather continue fighting the battles with his decade-long teammates than chase a ring somewhere he doesn’t belong.

Draymond Green helped build this house from scratch

When Draymond was drafted by the Warriors, the franchise wasn’t doing great in the league. And Green remembers the struggles in his rookie season when he was laughed at for being a Warriors player or when he had to physically hand out game tickets in the streets of Oakland because no one was interested in the team. But in just three years, Draymond and the Warriors franchise went to become the best team in the league by winning their first title of the upcoming dynasty in 2015.

Calling the Warriors dynasty his baby, Draymond told Shaq how much it means to him, “We built this thing up from the ground man.” Along the way, both the Warriors players and the front office had to make some hard decisions to get to where they are today. While the majority of Dub Nation wanted the team to be built around Monta Ellis, who was arguably one of the best guards in the league in 2012, Bob Myers and Co. decided to put their trust in an upcoming Stephen Curry. Then, they fired head coach Mark Jackson just two years later while he was producing great results and replaced him with Steve Kerr.

Such tough decisions slowly paved the way for the Warriors to become the most dominant dynasty of the modern era. So, as intriguing as another ring may sound, it will be hard for Draymond Green to part ways with the franchise that has grown in front of his eyes and has always supported him through thick and thin.