In this conversational YouTube segment, host Baron Davis and former NBA star Draymond Green dissect the recent trade that sent CJ McCollum, Kelly Olynyk, and a future second‑round pick from the New Orleans Pelicans to the Washington Wizards in exchange for Jordan Poole, Sadiq Bae, and the 40th overall pick. Draymond frames the move as a strategic shift for the Pelicans under new GM Joe Dumars, emphasizing the acquisition of young talent (Poole) who still has growth potential and fits the team’s salary‑cap flexibility. He notes the Pelicans’ roster context, including DeJounte Obi’s return from injury, and predicts the team could become a West‑side contender. For the Wizards, Draymond and Baron argue that veteran leadership is the missing piece; McCollum’s experience and basketball IQ can mentor the young core, providing consistency and a bridge to future success. The discussion expands to a broader NBA trend: teams must balance youth with seasoned veterans to avoid “the blind leading the blind.” The conversation then pivots to personal anecdotes about the NBA draft, with Draymond recounting his own draft night experience (35th pick, feelings of disappointment, and the importance of landing in the right system). Both hosts stress that draft position matters less than fit and development environment. The segment concludes with reflections on the 2024‑25 season, highlighting moments of personal growth, health, and optimism for the next championship run.
Chapters
The New Orleans Pelicans are trading CJ McCollum, Kelly Olynyk, and a future second-round pick to the Washington Wizards for Jordan Poole, Sadiq Bae, and the number 40 overall pick in the second round of the NBA draft. What does this trade mean for both teams? Draymond, what does it mean for the Pelicans?
Uh, what this means for the Pelicans is that Joe D's coming in, um, he's making some changes. He wanted to see, you know, just acquire some young talent in Jordan Poole to see if he can still make it work with next to the Zions, uh, you know, Draymond Green, uh, Herb Jones, you know, see if you can put it together, uh, with these young guys. I think, um, so when I look at this Pelicans this move. You got DeJounte Obi coming off an Achilles injury. Uh, when I look at this Pelican move, I like it. I think, um, when you add a talent like Jordan Poole— you know, CJ is kind of who CJ is, you know. Jordan, 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 Dumars' leadership, you know, with Willie Green as a coach. I think it would be a really good situation for him. I think Washington, the first year he spent adjusting, last year he had a really good year numbers-wise, but when you're on that team, it don't matter. And so I think, you know, when I look at, when I look at this for the Pelicans, I look at this as a net plus. You know, you didn't, you didn't have to go crazy from a salary cap standpoint. I think Jordan may make a little less than CJ or right around the same amount, you know, but yet I think you still got time for him to prove himself. A couple more years left on his deal, 2 or 3 more years left on his deal. I think he still got time to prove himself. And with some young guys who also looking to take that next step. And so I think they become a team that you gotta watch out for in the West, you know.
Right.
They got a lot of talent. They can put it together, they're gonna creep up and can possibly have a good year. So that's what I think this move means for the Pelicans.
The Wizards.
Go ahead. What you got for the Wizards? You, you, you, I look at that trade for the Wizards, you know.
I actually like it for the Wizards. Why? Because I think CJ McCollum is what the Wizards need. You need some veteran leadership. You need someone who can play basketball. You need someone that can talk to your young guys and get them in positions to play NBA basketball. You got a Linick there who's like a, you know, a bridge player, somebody who can come in, learn the system, be a vet. So you really trading, you know, young energy, uh, from Poole, who is a dynamic scorer, but you bet on Poole to be, you know, your next all-star superstar. Mm-hmm. Player and leader. I think you're going to get the leadership in McCollum. You're going to get more consistency out of what do you have. Now, I don't know how, uh, how many years McCollum got on this contract, but I, I, I just like that. I like this trade in favor of CJ. And then I also think for Washington, it's a good move to start cement your organization with some veterans around, especially the young guys you have, 'cause they're gonna take some time to develop, or if they develop properly, they can skyrocket over half a season with their talent.
No doubt, no doubt. I think what we're starting to see more is teams went so far left with the youth movement that they're realizing that, no, you can go young, but you gotta have some veteran leadership in there, or it's the blind leading the blind, and that don't work.
Bingo, bingo.
And so I think that's what we're starting to see. You know, when you look at this OKC team, They started with all those young guys, but throughout those years they brought in Chris Paul, you know, and different guys that has helped continue to show from a veteran leadership standpoint the way to Shay and for Shay to take the reins. So I think teams are starting to realize that. I know Will Dawkins comes out of the OKC tree and, you know, just to watch him put those veteran leaders around those young guys, I think it makes sense. Mm-hmm. I expect CJ to go in there asking for an extension, uh, to extend that money. And, but I think overall, I think it's a good move for both groups. You letting your hair grow back in?
No, I'm about to cut it.
What's going on?
You all right? Thank you.
How you all doing? You all right?
Come check on me. He's like, that hurt.
I'm just asking the question, chat. That's it.
Draymond Green was eye for eye. Hey man, look, I'm just trying to see what happens, see if my hair grow, grow back. You know, I like them little curls. I like to have my hair nappy, like the little naps. I like that.
You gotta go to Turkey.
To Turkey?
Yeah, you gotta go to Turkey. For what?
What's in Turkey?
They waiting for you.
You gotta go to Turkey. Uh, moving right along. All right, if you could say one thing to Warriors fans right now, unfiltered, what would it be?
I don't really got nothing to say. What up, Dub Nation?
Just about the season, like, well—
I ain't got no gripes. Oh, just about the season.
Yeah, like, oh, like, you know, we gonna come back better or—
Oh, well, I ain't wiping no Dubs fans up. They know what it is, you know, they been around.
'Cause you did say I was gonna win it all.
I ain't no woulda, coulda, shoulda type of guy, but you know, you know what I'm saying? It's all good. We gonna leave it where it's at. It's all good. I'm gonna congratulate the Oklahoma City Thunder 'cause I'm not one of them hatin'. You know, these guys out here be hatin'. I'm gonna leave it at where it's at and I'm gonna congratulate them guys 'cause they are champions.
All right, so with that said, what has been your best moment or moments in the 2024-2025 season?
Uh, best moment of the 2024-25 season, man.
When you got the dunk, huh? When you got that dunk.
What dunk?
When you went down the lane. I forget what team it was. I think he hit a 3, then he went down the lane and got a dunk. He was going crazy.
Oh man, that's like—
Shit, you barely got— you barely got that.
That's light work, man. You know what I'm saying? We ain't moving off no play, you know what I'm saying? No regular season plays.
I understand.
I be watching the game. Plays gotta happen in the playoffs for it to really matter.
Right, right, right.
When did you dunk on Karolinko?
In the playoffs. Everything after that.
All right, that's the only reason it matters.
Yeah, everything after that matters.
That's the only reason it matters. Yeah, it only matter. You know, so we ain't tripping on that. I'm saying, that's light work.
What about the night-night moment when you hit your first night-night?
That was fun. That was fun.
That was fun. That was a good one.
That was fun. And then, you know, man, I enjoyed the season though, you know, like, I, hey, I came out of this season feeling better than I did 3 years ago, you know? And so I think most importantly that, you know, that just health continuing to grow.
Yeah.
I think overall net positive. Now just keep it rolling and win this championship next year. But overall net positive, man. So I'm looking forward to this next one. Obviously getting this team right, getting the roster right, knowing what we looking like rolling into next year. But you know how I'm rolling in. Championship or bust, baby. You know how we roll.
That's the pedigree. Y'all back, y'all back to pedigree.
Absolutely. So that's how we roll. But the NBA draft is currently going on. NBA draft ain't one of my fondest nights. You know, if you was the third pick, so maybe you wanna like get all hyped for the draft. I think that shit don't matter.
It don't. It's all about where you go, man. I always say the draft is whatever team you go to, what system, it don't matter where you, what pick you go. You just wanna go to the right situation. And we've seen that countless amount of times with, you know, players in the second round. You look at, I think, You know, the story that's most relevant in my time was Rashard Lewis, you know, being a first round pick and getting drafted in the second round, being upset, but wind up going to Seattle and wind up becoming the man.
Yeah.
Faster than he would if he would've, you know, went to a Portland at the time or Indiana at the time. I had to sit behind some vets. So, you know, the draft— the draft for me, um, it was incredible, you know, being the third pick. Uh, I didn't really know nothing about Charlotte. Uh, I didn't really know who was on the team until I got drafted. Um, yeah, I went to a good team. I went to a vet team, a playoff team, a team that was you know, trying to make it in the playoffs in the tough, tough Eastern Conference. And I got a chance my rookie year to sit on the bench, which I did not like, as the number 3 pick, because the coach told me I should be starting by midseason. But it was cool. If I would have got drafted earlier, later, who knows what kind of system. But I went to a system where I was able to grow. And then ultimately become an All-Star in year 3.
No doubt. No, I think, you know, I think where you go, like you said, is far more important.
Where was you at on draft night?
It all works out in the end. I was in Saginaw, the Dow Event Center, baby, with a terrible suit on.
And how was it? How did it go for you? 'Cause you were supposed to be a lottery pick, right?
Yeah, I wasn't necessarily gonna be lottery, but I definitely was like projected to be top 20, top 20, top 25. And you know, to go 35th pick, it's like, dang, you see the end of that first round coming, you're like, man, you know? So it's a great night, you know, but it was very bittersweet for me.
Was people overreacting at the party or at your event? Were more people overreacting than you, or were you— I know you were disappointed. But like, what was the hype? And then like the whole—
I don't think anybody overreacted. I think people were all shocked. You know, you could kind of feel like the angst waning, like, man, like when is this gonna happen? But I don't think anybody overreacted. Nobody made too much of it. I probably felt the most about it. You know what I'm saying? Just because I know the work that I had put in and I knew what I had to offer. And so going in the second round was baffling to me. But in saying that, to get your name called—
Special.
Special in the NBA draft is special. And so I'm forever grateful for that moment. I hope these guys enjoy it, enjoy that night, and then understand that tomorrow, man, yeah, one guy may get an opportunity faster, but tomorrow everybody on an equal playing field. You gotta go prove that you belong in the NBA and what you can bring to a team.
