Draymond Green is back with the Warriors on a one-year, $27.7 million contract after he declined a player option for the same amount to give his longtime franchise financial flexibility to pursue LeBron James.
On Friday, James decided to join the 76ers on a two-year, $8 million contract with a player option on the second season. His decision wasn’t about money; it was about pursuing a fifth title with a fourth different franchise as James decided Philly gave him the best option to do so with the core of Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid, Jaylen Brown and VJ Edgecombe.
Golden State was a rumored top suitor for James as he could link up with another all-time great in Stephen Curry and his good friend in Green to chase a championship in the twilight of their respective careers. Green understood James’s decision as he explained on his podcast. He didn’t believe James was able to get over the history of his long on-court rivalry with Golden State.
James’s decision to go to Philly was yet another star that Golden State missed out on after its failed pursuits of Brown, Giannis Antetokounmpo and even Anthony Davis. Green opted out of his $27.7 million player option ahead of free agency to give the Warriors a path to reunite James and Davis in the Bay. With LeBron headed to the Sixers while the Wizards have expressed no interest in trading Davis, according to The Athletic’s Fred Katz, Green returns on the same contract he declined last month.
The fallout of a wild offseason keeps the Warriors in flux as the franchise hopes to capitalize on what’s remaining of Curry’s career. Golden State needs to improve the roster to compete with the likes of the Thunder and the Spurs in the Western Conference. Adding James would’ve aided that pursuit and, potentially, locked up Green with the franchise beyond this season.
Draymond Green was reportedly in line for a long-term contract with Warriors if LeBron James signed with Golden State
Despite Green’s long run with the Warriors that has included 14 seasons and four championships, he has been included in trade rumors over the past year as Golden State has tried to upgrade its roster. After Jimmy Butler tore his ACL in January, the Warriors had some time to make a splash at the trade deadline and salvage the season. They traded for Kristaps Porziņģis and were involved in Antetokounmpo discussions before the Bucks decided to keep their franchise player until the offseason.
General manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. was reluctant to trade Butler and his massive salary, which would’ve made the financials work in a trade for a star like Antetokounmpo, which put Green’s name in trade rumors by proxy. Green’s $25.9 million salary last season made for a big chunk of what the Warriors would need to send out to acquire a star talent.
Once Green declined his player option to become a free agent, the two sides waited for James’s decision to work out a new deal. ESPN’s Shams Charania and Anthony Slater reported the new one-year, $27.7 million contract on Tuesday. If James had joined to the Warriors, Charania noted that Green could have been inked to a longer-term deal at a lesser annual value, but Golden State gave its longtime do-it-all forward a deal that makes him a free agent once again next summer.
“If [the Warriors] had gotten LeBron James, Draymond Green potentially was in line for a three-year deal at about $20 million per year,” Charania said on NBA Today. “The Warriors struck out, now they bring Draymond Green back on the same deal. This becomes basically a one-year, prove-it type deal. It sets up a major season for Draymond Green.”
Joining @malika_andrews for NBA Today on the Warriors re-signing Draymond Green and the franchise's pursuits the last 7 months: pic.twitter.com/dxYYUK49EI
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 28, 2026
Could the Warriors include Draymond Green in a trade that brings Steph Curry another star?
Green was eligible for a no-trade clause in his new contract with the Warriors for meeting the rare criteria. To qualify for a no-trade clause, a player must be signing a free-agent contract (not an extension), have at least eight seasons of NBA experience and the player must have spent at least four seasons with the team he’s signing with. Despite the eligibility, Green’s new contract does not include a no-trade clause, ESPN reported.
However, because he signed with his previous team on a one-year contract, he receives no-trade protection for the rest of the league year. So, Green would still need to consent to a deal should the Warriors wish to include him in a trade.
A no-trade clause and no-trade protection are similar, but have a couple key differences. A no-trade clause, which can be negotiated into a free-agent contract, remains in effect if the player is traded to a new team. Since Green has no-trade protection through his new one-year contract, he’d lose his Bird rights (which allows teams to go over the salary cap to re-sign their own players) should he agree to a trade. Green is in the driver’s seat should the Warriors wish to include him in a trade with the ability to steer himself to a desirable destination.
Golden State now looks to round out next season’s roster by adding players on veteran minimums. Even further ahead, Curry, Green and Butler are all on expiring contracts which lines the Warriors up for a massive amount of cap space next summer as the franchise reaches a crossroads. Charania reported that Curry and the Warriors have mutual interest on agreeing to a contract extension in August. With the presumption that Curry will remain with the franchise for the foreseeable future, next season is extremely valuable and Golden State will be a likely trade suitor for the next big name that comes on the market.
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