With free agency set to begin Friday, the rumor mill is churning, and there’s a key Warriors figure at the heart of some of the gossip: Draymond Green.
Green is expected to decline his $27.6 million player option by Thursday’s deadline, which will make him an unrestricted free agent. The Warriors will have a slew of decisions to make, but bringing back Green remains their top priority.
Conversations with any team could help drive up the asking price for Green, who’s looking for one last big payday before his playing career is over. The Warriors might be situated well above the salary cap, but they have Green’s Bird Rights, meaning they can re-sign him anyway.
Still, several Western Conference teams have been linked to Green, including the Sacramento Kings, Los Angeles Lakers, Portland Trail Blazers and Dallas Mavericks. Some observers have pointed out that the Kings opened up more than $33 million in cap space by trading Richaun Holmes and offloading their No. 24 pick to the Mavericks on draft night.
Green has also been tied to the Detroit Pistons, who play about two hours south of Green’s hometown of Saginaw, Michigan.
Many teams are in the market for an All-Defensive player like Green, whose basketball wits, elite playmaking and leadership style would take them to the next level. But those are some of the reasons why the Warriors, who are trying to extend their championship window with Stephen Curry still playing at an elite level, can’t afford to lose Green. Not only has Green been the heartbeat of the team that’s won four titles in nine years, but his ability to orchestrate the Warriors’ motion offense, set ball screens and pass — as well as his defensive versatility — makes him irreplaceable for Golden State.
“If Draymond is not back, we’re not a championship contender,” coach Steve Kerr said in May. “We know that. He’s that important to winning and to who we are.”
As of Monday, it seems more likely than not that Green will end up back with the team that drafted him No. 35 overall in 2012.
NBA insider Marc Stein reported over the weekend that the Warriors have “strong confidence” Green will return next season. And Green himself expressed a clear desire to come back after the season ended with a disappointing Western Conference semifinals loss.
But money talks and Green’s camp is listening.
Golden State’s front office knows that and has already agreed to make a major move that could clear up space for Green to sign the desired term and price point he’s aiming for.
The Warriors are finalizing a trade with the Washington Wizards that will send Jordan Poole, Patrick Baldwin Jr., Ryan Rollins and draft picks to the Washington Wizards for 38-year-old point guard Chris Paul. In a separate deal with the Wizards, they also added Trayce Jackson-Davis, the No. 57 pick out of Indiana, in exchange for cash.
Poole’s departure is noteworthy considering his deteriorating relationship with Green, who was caught on a viral video punching the 23-year-old guard in practice last October. They kept it professional during the season, but it seemed inevitable one would have to go this offseason.
Moving off Poole’s contract for Paul isn’t just a win-now move that may be appealing to Green; it also gives the Warriors more financial flexibility, as Paul’s salary is non-guaranteed for the 2024-25 season. Klay Thompson will come off the books after this season, barring an extension. Suddenly, next summer, the Warriors’ fiscal situation looks a lot less dire.
That could bode well for Green.
Stein reported that Green is seeking a deal in the ballpark of three years, $100 million. That length would line him up with Stephen Curry and Andrew Wiggins, whose contracts expire after the 2025-26 season. Green would be 36 at the end of that projected contract.
The Western Conference is getting stronger this offseason. The Denver Nuggets are the reigning NBA champions and looking to run it back as much as possible next season. Meanwhile, the Phoenix Suns have added Bradley Beal to play alongside Kevin Durant and Devin Booker, and the Memphis Grizzlies made a major upgrade from Dillon Brooks by trading for Marcus Smart.
Paul in exchange for Poole turned heads last week. But for the Warriors to be considered a formidable threat in the West, they need Green. On the off chance he walks, the Warriors can expect their championship aspirations to go out the door with him.
