Draymond Green officially joins Klutch Sports

With free agency nearing, the Warriors defensive ace has joined the most talked-about agency in the NBA.

Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green has officially joined Klutch Sports Group, the agency famously associated with Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James.

Klutch Sports has been heavily in the news this season. Formed by James’ close friend Rich Paul, Klutch has developed a reputation for fighting for player rights, and not caving to the demands of ownership.

Most recently and most famously, Anthony Davis switched to Klutch Sports, which was quickly followed by a public trade request, with the agency pushing to have the New Orleans Pelicans trade the superstar to the Lakers.

James, of course, has grown a bit of a reputation for recruiting players, but Green said that he was not recruited to the agency that James had a hand in creating. A three-time All-Star, Green was merely influenced by both James and Paul, as well as what the agency represents.

“Klutch is a cutting-edge company, it’s a pure environment, and I’ve grown to know Rich over the years,” Green told ESPN’s The Undefeated. “We’ve become very close. When you really take a step back and actually study what is going on, he checks every box that a player would want in an agent. ... It’s bigger than just contracts. This is genuine, and it’s the right move for me. We’ll be in business long after I’m done playing. And that’s more important than anything.

“... It’s impossible to say LeBron played no part in me joining Klutch, simply because he has been Klutch since the beginning. He’s essentially a founding partner. I’ve already had a relationship with LeBron for years, so it’s always good to be able to do business with family that’s going about their business in the right fashion and getting things done. But as far as recruiting me -- no, LeBron didn’t recruit me at all.”

Green, the 2017 Defensive Player of the Year, will be a free agent at the conclusion of the 2019-2020 season. We’ll see what the NBA landscape looks like then, and how his new agency works with the Warriors for Green’s next deal.